GALWAY, a maritime county of Ireland, in the pro vince of Connaught. It is bounded on the north by Mayo and Roscommon ; on the east by Tipperary and King's County ; on the south by Clare ; and on the west by the Atlantic ocean. Its aspect is various, some parts of it be ing almost in a state of nature, and other parts of it fertile and cultivated. The western district is rocky and moun tainous; the eastern district is flat, with the exception of some low mountains on the borders of Clare. The soil here is warm and fertile, and capable of considerable im provement. The substratum being limestone, the verdure is almost every where exceedingly luxuriant. The best land in the county is situated between Mount Talbot and Portumna, and along by Ballyroan and Kilconneltenagh. That which stands next in quality, extends from Athenry to the town of Galway. It is not arable on account of its rocky nature, hut produces excellent pasturage for sheep. The third division in point of quality, lies in the neigh bourhood of Monadee, affording very coarse grass, mixed with heath. The fourth comprehends Conamara and Joyce's land, and is quite destitute of cultivation.
Agriculture is in a very backward state. Indeed, almost the whole country is appropriated to grass. In sonic places, however, they raise wheat, barley, oats, and flax. Potatoes, of course, they have in abundance. There are scarcely any ditches or hedges; their fences consisting mostly of dry stone walls. They have an excellent breed of long horned cattle, and the finest flocks of sheep that are any where to be seen. To this last branch of rural economy they pay great those who engage in it have both enterprise and capital ; and accordingly it is in a very flourishing condition. The principal market for stock is that of Ballinasloe, situated on the east border of of the county. Labour is generally paid by rent or price of corn acres, meadow, or grass of a cow. In 1811, the average prices of various articles were calculated as fol lows; A man the year round, 111. 10s. 9d.; a woman ditto 61. lat. ; carpenter per day 2s. 2d.; mason ditto 28. 51d. ;
slater ditto 2s. 31d; quarryman ls. Id. ; thrasher 9d; sad dle-horse ditto 4s. 4d.; plough ditto 5s. 5d.; grazing a cow per week 2s. 3d.; oak per foot 4s.; ash ditto 3s. 3d; bricks per 1000 11.; a car mounted 41, 1 Is.; potatoes per stone 3d. ; salt butter per cwt. 31. 148. Sd. ; fresh ditto per lib. Is. 21d.; hay per ton 21. 17s. Gd; whiskey per gallon 9s; ale per quart 3d.; porter per gallon Is. 6r/.; beef per lib. Sid; mutton ditto Gd; veal ditto 8d. ; pork ditto 3.1d; lambs per score 191. 10s. ; cheese per lib. Is. 4d; shoeing a horse 4s. 4d.; shoes per pair 9s. 9d.; salt per stone Is. Id. Swe dish iron per cwt. 11. 8s. Gd.; undressed flax per cwt. 3/. 148. 8d. ; wool per stone 11. ; fowls per couple 18. 8d. ; wheat per barrel Il. 18s. 51d ; barley ditto I 5s. 6d; oats ditto 10s. Id. ; malt ditto 1/. I5s•. 6d; flour, 1st, per cwt. 11. 9s. 4d. ; ditto, 2d, ditto 11. 4s. ; ditto, 3d, ditto 17s.; oatmeal per cwt 148.; labour in hay or corn harvest per day Is. Id.; mowing grass per acre 4s. 61d.; rabbits per couple I. Id. ; milk per quart 2d ; herrings per 100, 5s.
; corn acres of oats per acre 51. 68. 101d ; ditto mea dow ditto 61. 13s. 11 t.; ditto potatoe land ditto 71. 7s. 61(1.; flax per rood 1/. 188.
Large as this county is, there is not of property belonging to absentees above L50,000 per annum. Perhaps one-third of the whole land is let in partnership leases ; and in some places leases are granted for three lives, or thirty-one years, to an indefinite number of tenants, who are not only joint in occupying the ground, but have the benefit of survivorship. The average rent is LI. 10s. per green acre. A man of large property is hel'e termed a statesman, hut he who has only a few acres is called a patchman. The Earl of Clanri carde, Lord Clancarty, Mr Eyre, and Mr Ross Mahon, each estates in this county of about L10,000 per an num, Christopher D. Baleu, Esq. has L6000, John Burke, Esq. L7000, Lord French L3500, Malachy Doneyland L5000. Mr Martin has about 70 miles along the coast, and is reckoned the most extensive landed proprietor in the three kingdoms.