K E R R Y 51
some copper veins occur in the Old Red Sandstone, but they are workable only when they enter the limestone. Silver with zinc and lead with zinc are found in a few places. In the coal formation there are some veins both of iron and lead. The Valentia flags and slates are largely exported to England. Amethysts were at one time obtained near Kerry Head.
Coast Line. – The sea-coast, which for the most part is wild and mountainous, is much indented by inlets, the largest of which, Tralee Bay, Dingle Bay, and Kenmare River, lie in synclinal troughs, the anticlinal folds of the rocks forming extensive promontories. Between Kenmare River and Dingle Bay the land is separated by mountain ridges into three valleys. The extremity of the peninsula between Dingle Bay and Tralee Bay is very precipitous, and Mount Brandon, rising abruptly from the ocean, is skirted at its base by a road from which magnificent views are obtained. From near the village of Ballybunion to Kilconey Point near the Shannon there is a remarkable succession of caves, which have evidently been excavated by the sea. The principal islands are the picturesque Skelligs, Valentia Island, and the Blasquet Islands.
Rivers and Lakes. – The principal rivers are the Black- water, which, rising in the Dunkerran mountains, forms for a few miles the boundary line between Kerry and Cork, and falls into the Kenmare River; the Ruaughty, which with a course resembling the arc of a circle falls into the head of the Kenmare River; the Inny and Ferta, which flow westward, the one into Ballinskellig Bay and the other into Valentia Harbour; the Flesk, which flows northward through the lower lake of Killarney, after which it takes the name of the Laune, and flows north-westward to Dingle Bay; the Cara, which rises in the mountains of Dunkerran, and after forming several lakes falls into Castlemaine Harbour; the Maine,, which flows from Castle Island south- westwards to the sea at Castlemaine Harbour, receiving in its course the northern Flesk, which rises in the mountains that divide Cork from Kerry; and the Feale, Gale, and Brick, the junction of which forms the Cashin, a short tidal river which flows into the estuary of the Shannon. The lakes of Kerry are not numerous, and none of them are of great size, but those of Killarney form one of the most important features in the striking and picturesque mountain scenery amidst which they are situated. (See KILLARNEY.) The other principal lakes in the county are Lough Currane near Ballinskellig, and Lough Cara near Castlemaine Harbour. Near the summit of Manger ton Mountain an accumulation of water in a deep hollow forms what is known as the Devil's Punchbowl, the surplus water, after making a succession of cataracts, flowing into Lough Kittane at the foot of the mountain. There are chalybeate mineral springs near Killarney, near Valentia Island, and near the mouth of the Inny; sulphurous chalybeate springs near Dingle, Castlemaine, and Tralee; and a saline spring at Magherybeg in Corkaguiney, which bursts out of clear white sand a little below high water mark.
Climate and Agriculture. – Owing to the vicinity of the sea and the height of the mountains, the climate is very moist and unsuitable for the growth of cereals, but it is so mild even in winter that the pasturage on the mountains retains perpetual greenness. Arbutus and other trees indigenous to warm climates grow in the open air, and several flowering plants are found which are unknown in England. In the northern parts of the county the land is generally coarse and poor, except in the valleys, where a rich soil has been formed by rocky deposits. In the Old Red Sandstone valleys there are many very fertile regions, and several extensive districts now covered by bog admit of easy reclamation so as to form very fruitful soil, but other tracts of boggy land scarcely promise a profitable return for labour expended on their reclamation. The lower slopes of the mountains afford a very rich pasturage for cattle even in winter, while large flocks of sheep and goats graze on the upper ridges.
According to the classified summary of owners for 1876 there were no fewer than twenty-eight proprietors who possessed upwards of 10,000 acres, and ten possessed upwards of 20,000 acres, viz., Francis C. Bland, 25,576; Sir Edward Denny, Baronet, 21,479; Robert Drummond, 29,780; Edward Bouchier Hartopp, 24,222; Henry A. Herbert, 47,238; earl of Kenmare, 91,080; marquis of Lansdowne, 94,983; earl of Listowel, 25,964; Richard Mahoney, 26,173; Lord Ventry, 93,629. Altogether the number of owners was 1116, possessing 1,153,373 acres, at an annual valuation of £283,198. Of the owners 637, or 57 per cent., possessed less than 1 acre, the total possessed by these owners being only 172 acres. The average annual valuation was 4s. 10d. per acre.
The following table shows the number of the various classes of holdings in 1850 and 1880: –
1 Acre. Between 1 and 5 Acres. Between 5 and 15 Acres. Between 15 and 30 Acres. 30 Acres and upwards. Total. 1850 1880 623 1,078 1,024 1,267 3,071 2,689 4,391 3,655 9,508 10,058 18,617 18,747
In some of the larger farms the best modern systems of agricul ture are practised, but especially on the small farms the primitive form of lazy-bed culture is that almost wholly in use, with alternate crops of oats and potatoes. The total area under crops in 1881 was 165,568 acres, 14 2 per cent. of the acreage of the county. In 1880 there were 586,600 acres (50 6 per cent.) under grass, 18,348 were woods, 105,884 bogs, 248,808 mountain, and 39,392 water, roads, and fences. There has been an increase in the area under crops since 1850 of 16,694 acres, but this is wholly due to an increase of 37,906 in the area under meadow and clover, which in 1881 was 90,068, while between 1851 and 1880 the area under grass increased by 133,489, or more than a fourth. The area under cereals in 1881 was 33,169 acres, a decline of 18,849, or more than a third since 1850, wheat declining from 4502 to 1032, and oats from 30,190 to 27,533. Between 1850 and 1880 the diminution has been very slight in the area under green crop, from 43,129 acres to 41,968, that under potatoes increasing from 30,963 to 31,179, but that under turnips declining from 10,434 to 5723. Flax occupied 300 acres in 1850, and only 39 in 1881.
Horses have increased from 13,129 in 1850 to 15,367 in 1881. The number of horses used for agricultural purposes in 1881 was 11,159. Mules between 1850 and 1881 increased from 1871 to 2311, while asses increased from 3417 to 8765. Cattle in 1850 numbered 147,748, and in 1881 had increased to 209,733. Cows numbered 104,971, dairy farming being very largely followed. The Kerry breed of cattle small finely-shaped animals, black or red in colour, with small upturned horns are famed for the quality both of their flesh and milk, and are now in considerable demand for the parks surrounding mansion houses. The "dexter," a cross between the Kerry and an unknown breed, is larger but without its fine qualities. Sheep between 1850 and 1871 had risen from 59,931 to 129,618, but in 1881 they had declined to 82,929. Little regard is paid to the breed, but those in most common use have been crossed with a merino breed from Spain. Goats, which share with sheep the sweet pasturage of the higher mountain ridges, have increased between 1850 and 1881 from 17, 382 to 23,442. Pigs since 1850 have increased from 36,246 to 45,630. Poultry have more than doubled in num bers, increasing from 183,115 to 485,076.
Feræ Naturæ. – As may be supposed from the wild and moun tainous character of a great part of Kerry, foxes are numerous, and otters and badgers are not uncommon. The alpine hare is very abundant. The red deer inhabits the mountains round Killarney. The golden eagle was at one time frequently seen in the higher mountain regions, but is now rarely met with. The sea eagle haunts the lofty marine cliffs, the mountains, and the rocky islets. The osprey is occasionally seen, and also the peregrine falcon. The merlin is common. The common owl is indigenous, the long-eared owl resident, and the short-eared owl a regular winter visitor. Rock pigeons breed on the sea-cliffs, and the turtle dove is an occasional visitant. The common quail is becoming rare. The great grey seal is found in Brandon and Dingle Bays.
Manufactures. – At the beginning of the century there was a con siderable linen trade in Kerry, but this is now nearly extinct, the chief manufacture being that of coarse woollens and linens for home use. At Killamey a variety of articles are made from the wood of the arbutus. A considerable trade in agricultural produce is carried on at Tralee, Dingle, and Kenmare, and in slate and stone at Valentia.
Fisheries. – The number of vessels engaged in the deep sea and coast fisheries is about 600, employing about 2500 men and boys. From the passing of the Act 37 and 38 Vict. up to 31st December 1880 the total amount of money advanced on loan for fishery purposes in Kerry has been £10,872, and up to the same date the repayments have amounted to £6879. The loans during the year 1880 amounted to £2146. The sum advanced for Kerry fisheries is more than one-third of the whole sum advanced for Ireland. Perhaps on no part of the coast are the fishing localities so nume-
