Location: [unknown]
A Letter From Ireland 1864
Our thanks go to Ivan Drimmie Saskatchewan who supplied this very informative piece of history.
Dear Brother,
So many months have gone in silent thought
Ballinamona days pass into months
excuse any tardiness for this time.
I was glad to see by your letter that when it was writen
your family were all well and although you had met with a
slight accident some short time before I trust that long ere
this you are quite restored to health and strength.
John's Family are all My Father had a letter from him
a short time ago announcing the advent of
a son unto his Family Circle who is only the short space of
twenty years younger than his sister.
My Father and mother are both very well at present
and father is as strong and hearty as you please
but I am sorry to say that I have not been getting
good health at all for past 2 years sometimes I am
pretty well and again I will be almost usiless
for a month at a time it is some kind of liver complaint
which the Dr's find it very hard to cure it making my life
quite miserable at times. And as I always have to
work very hard here it makes me feel sometimes
as if I should give up altogether
I suppose your harvest will be in full swing now
and I hope your crops are good this year.
I suppose your principal crop is still wheat
although at present prices I do not see how it can pay
even in Canada where you have no rents.
Wheat growing has been given over almost entirely in Ireland.
However we have always grown some more for the sake
of the straw than the grain we have 6 acres this year it is a
very fine crop and will be ready for cutting in a few days.
The price of wheat (- - - ) at present here is 19s for Barley 20s the main crop of Ireland now is Barley for during the past 5 years it has been worth more money weight for weight than wheat but is likely to be very cheap this year in all the crops are very good in this part of the country especially the wheat and Oats but all crops are much laid and twisted owing to the late rains and storms we have had and in consequence it will be a tedious job harvesting this year and the harvest is late it will not be gathered sooner than the 1st of Sept our crop this year is made up as follows, 6 acres of Wheat 12 of Barley. 20 of Oats 1 of Beans 14 of turnips the best we have had for years 1 acre of Mangolde Beet 1 do of potatoes and 10 do Hay a heavy crop all in the Rick now our stock at present consists of 4 work horses & mares 1 pony 1 colt 2 years old and 1 Foal 1 ass 150 sheep 4 Cows 12 two and one half year old Bullocks & Heifers 10 one and one half year old do - do and 12 Calves 6 months old and 3 pigs two of them sows we always sell our pigs when they are three months old they fetch at that age about 20s each it is the only way that pigs will pay on a farm here now the Cottagers buy them and fatten them the same with sheep the lambs are all sold of at from two to three months old and we get from 30s to 40s for them if pretty good they are the only stock that have held to a good price but old mutton is very cheep our Cattle we fatten during the winter and sell at three years old but we are now getting fully £4 per head less for them than we did 2 years ago still Cattle is the only thing that the Irish farmer can live by for corn growing at present prices is a losing game. You will have seen by the papers that Ireland at present is in a very disturbed state especially in the north and in the City of Belfast there is open Rebellion Many thanks for the paper you send us the Starr and Family Herald we like it Better than the Globe. I suppose that between yourself and your sons you will be able to do all the work of your Farm especially as you Canadian Farmers have so many and so complete Labour saving machines it is just the same here now everything is done by machinery the corn is Sown Hoed Reaped & Bound in Sheaves all by machine & Horse the same with turnips we now have a .........(machine)? for Hoeing and spaceing them which does away with Hand labour almost entirely the same with hay we bring in the cocks to the side of the rick without ever using a fork or Cart and thence by a Horse fork onto the Rick if it was not for all the machines we Irish farmers would not get on at all now as workmen have now become so scarce and dear. I would like very much to get over to see you all for a couple of months and also the country. I suppose farms are still to be had in your part of the country. I am the only one of the family at home here now. My Brother Robert the LandSteward to Lord Ross at Birr Castle Kings County he is married and has two children my sister Bessie is staying with cousins at present. and trusting this will find you all quite well I am your Affect Brother Geo.Drimmie
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