14. To the owner of the best ram, L. s. d. three years old and upwards, a medal.

15. To the owner of the best draftstallion, a medal.

16. To the person who shall have produced the greatest quantity of honey within the year, a medal, or

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£57 2 4

The above premiums to gentlemen and farmers, belong to the class which require a year for their determination, therefore the claims for them are to be sent in to the Secretary, on or before the 1st of May 1800, and to be determined by the Committee for ploughing, ditching, draining, &c.

At a meeting of the Society on the 25th of March last, it was resolved, That no person who shall appear to the Society to have been engaged in the late outrages, or who shall be engaged in any future disturbances of the country, shall ever receive any of the premiums offered by this Society; and that this resolution be annexed to our next list of premiums.

Premiums given by the Farmers Society of Castleknock for the last year, ending the 1st of April 1799.

To Richard Mullally, having reared £. s. d. five children to the age of twelve

years,

To William Wilson, having lived with Dr. Connor twenty-six years,

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To Richard Mullally, having lived £. s. d under the secretaries in the Phoenix

park eighteen years,

To John Rafter, having lived with Elizabeth Maunsell fifteen years,

Half a guinea each, to William Wilson, James Curley, Patrick Henery, Robert Teelon, Thomas Packenham, and Matthew Morgan, as being in every respect the best conducted labourers in the Union,

To Sarah Murphy, having worked the greatest number of days in husbandry within the year,

To the undernamed six boys and six girls, as being the best conducted in the schools of Castleknock, Blancherstown, and Porterstown: James Scully, Mark Ardiff, Mary Henery, and Jane Geohegan, of Castleknock; John Cromer, John Duffy, Teresa Lynch, Margaret Cowan, of Blancherstown; John Kane, Richard West, Sarah Roe, and Elizabeth Brien of Porterstown,

To John Kernan, under twelve years of age, having worked 294 days with Mr. Wynne within the year,

To Nancy Kernan, under sixteen years of age, having worked 299 days with Mr. Wynne within the year,

To Thomas Carpenter, under sixteen years of age, having worked with Mr. Kirkpatrick 270 days within the year,

To Christopher Gamble, having kept his children, cabin, and garden, in the neatest and best order,

To Elizabeth Byers, having spun the greatest quantity of yarn with the

year, I

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To Elizabeth Comber, for the next £. s. d.

greatest quantity,

To Sarah Webster, for the third greatest quantity,

0 16 3

0 11 4

£16 149

The disturbances of the last summer prevented more claims from being sent in the next year commences on the 1st of May 1799. The money not claimed this year, to be carried over to pay part of next year's premiums.

OBSERVATIONS.

There is no calculating the beneficial effects that might result from the general establishment of institutions similar to the Castleknock Farmers. Society. It proceeds upon the true principle:"That the most effectual way of promoting the "improvement of the condition of the labour"ing classes, is to set them to work at it them❝selves." It combines with this principle a due attention to the improvement of their morals, and the education of their children; and tends to promote a friendly intercourse between the different classes of society in the district, and to render the rich better acquainted with the wants and the merits of their poorer neighbours. The. principles on which this institution is founded, may be modified in a variety of shapes, and adapted to the particular circumstances of every district. The example so laudably set by the. parish of Castleknock, has already been followed by a Society of gentlemen and farmers in the parish of Navan, and in the county of Meath.

No. III.

Extracts of two Letters received from the Rev. Dr. Forster of Stradhally, to Dr. Perceval, with Observations by the latter.

Stradhally, 16th July 1799.

IN the year 1785, two schemes were formed

in this parish, one designed for the benefit of sick and infirm artists, as smiths, carpenters, masons, &c. Each member and subscriber paid an English shilling on admission, and ten-pence halfpenny the first Monday in each month. An English shilling was likewise paid for an annual dinner in September of each year; and on the death of any one of the poor members, an English shilling was paid by each member towards the support of the widow and family of the deceased. In case any of the poor members was sick, confined, and unable to work, he was paid weekly six shillings: if he continued invalid more than six weeks, his allowance was three shillings per week.

The other scheme was for the benefit of daylabourers; the same rules, charges, and allowances when ill, as those of the artists already mentioned, save that eleven pence was paid on the second Monday in each month by each member of the Labourers Society. It is to be observed that a common labourer, supposing him to work six days in each week, which is seldom the case, at eight pence a day (the wages here) he could earn but four shillings a week; yet when sick or disabled, he was allowed six shillings, as his wife and family might be interrupted in their

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occupations by attention to the invalid, and because some medicines and more costly fare than usual might be necessary for his recovery. In a short time after these schemes were formed, a large number of the principal people of this parish, and not a few externs, became willingly honorary members, to contribute to the funds for supporting them each scheme had upwards of one hundred and fifty subscribers and members. In consequence, the funds of each society quickly enabled their respective stewards to purchase a black velvet pall, twelve linen scarfs, fourteen hatbands, two clokes, caps and poles for conductors. Each member was charged sixpence who did not attend the funeral: thirty shillings was allowed for a coffin and expences. The poor labourers and artists who were members, felt inexpressible satisfaction, knowing they would be buried, not like dogs without a coffin, but in a kind of state unknown to persons of their rank. To secure the morals of the poor members of each scheme, the rules declared, That any person convicted by two or more witnesses, before a council appointed and sworn, of being drunk, of cursing and swearing, of being concerned in any riot, of using indecent or opprobrious language, of stealing and robbing, or of being guilty of any crimes forbidden by the laws in force here, such person so convicted was to be expelled, and to forfeit the benefits he would otherwise be entitled to.A sworn treasurer, three stewards, a council. of seven, and as many members as pleased, met at a house appointed for the purpose, on the first or second Monday in cach month, to audit the accounts, pay money, hear and determine causes, &c. Each member present to be allowed one quart of threepenny ale. Any member who did not within each month pay all due from him, his D