Climate, Soil, and Produce.—In climate, those parts of Wexford which lie open to the sea are milder in temperature than the adjacent counties of Carlow and Kilkenny. Snow seldom remains on the ground in these districts, and agricultural operations may often be carried on without interruption while lands 10 miles inland are covered with snow or locked up with frost. The southern district is exposed to storms in spring and autumn, and to heavy rains in winter ; but the climate is peculiarly favourable to the perfection of grain crops.
In 3853 there were in the county under crop 217,510 acres, of which 17,014 acres grew wheat, 88,218 acres oats, 49,730 ecru barley, here, rye, peas, and beans ; 25,603 acres potatoes, 15,355 acres turnips, 6247 acres other green crops, 461 acres flax, and 44,832 acres were in meadow in clover. Of plantations, there were 24,343 acres in 1841, yielding oak, ash, elm, beech, fir, mixed timber, and fruit. The stock, on 16,732 holdings in 1852, was 24,465 horse., 7450 mnloa and asses, 78,172 head of cattle, 81,598 sheep, 63,930 pigs, 9346 goats, and 331,415 head of poultry. The total value of the stock here enumerated was estimated at 900,0721.
The manufactures of the county are of little importance. The principal external commerce of the county is in agricultural produce, especially barley, of which great quantities are eent to Eogland, Wes ford being the port through which the trade of Enniscorthy and Castlebridge passes. New Rosa also exports the like produce to a considerable extent. Butter I. sent through Gorey to Dublin, and through Wexford and Waterford to Bristol, Liverpool, &c.; and cattle, pig& and poultry are sent to England by steam-boats from the same porte.
The county belongs to the fishery districts of Gorey and Wexford, which together comprise 103 miles of maritime boundary, and in 3853 had 577 registered fishing-vessels, employing 3233 men and boys.
Dirisions, Towns, &e.—The county Is in the diocese of Ferns, with a very small part In that of Dublin, and contains 144 parishes. It is divided into nine baronies—Ballagh Keen, Bantry, Bergy, Forth, Gorey, Scarawalah, Shelburne, and Shelmalieve east and west. The principal towns are WEXYORD, ENNISCORTITT, GORE; and New Roas, which are noticed under their respective names.
Of the following towns and villages the population given is that of 1851 :— Art/twat:nen, or King? s Bay, is • small port and post-town on the left bank of the Nore, where it falls into Waterford Harbour : popu lation, 309. There are a fever hospital, a dispensary, and a convenient pier, at which vessels of 100 tons can unload or load. Ballycanow is a post-town about 4 miles S. from Corey, on the road to Wexford Bridge, near the Awin-Banna River : population, 361. There are an ancient church, a Roman Catholic chapel, and two schools. Five fairs are held annually. Bannow, population 104, a small post-town on Bannow Harbour, about 6 miles N.E. from Fetbard across the harbour, contains the ruins of an old church, • dispensary, a Roman Catholic chapel, and a school. Two stations of the preventive service are in the neighbourhood. It was formerly the site of an aucieut borough, of which scarcely a trace la left. Bridgetown is a small post-town near Tacurnshin Lake, about 10 miles S. from Wexford : population, 214. In it are a small church and a ruined castle ; another ruined cantle Is about three miles distant. Camolin is a post-town ou the Limn, about 7 miles S.W. from Gorey, on the road to Eiiniscorthy: population, 713. It contains a Roman Catholic chapel and a diapen rary. Six yearly fairs are held. Near it is Camolin Park. the seat of the Earl of 3Iountnorrie. Celt/eta-14e is a village and poet-town at the junction of the Sow with the testuary of Wexford Harbour, about 4 miles N. from Wexford : population, 473. In it are a Roman Catholic chapel and a dispensary. Eight annual fairs are held. Clonroche is a small thriving poet-town about 9 mile. S.W. from Enniscorthy : popu lation, 420. It has a dispensary and a savings bank, and petty sessions are held here monthly. There are eleven yearly fake, and the town
has a cousi ierable trade. Courtown is a small sea-port and post-town, at the head of Courtown, or Kilbride Bay, at the mouth of the Awin Banna River, about 3 miles S.E. from Gorey : population, 259. The hamlet of RiverchapeZ almost joins it however, with a population of 345. The places are neatly built, and together form a rising town. Close to it are the mansion and demesue of the Earl of Courtown, and the church stands in the demesne. Duncannon is a fishing village and post-town on the east side of Waterford Harbour, about a mile and a half S. from Arthurstowu : population, 460. The shore is here flat and shallow, and consequently dangerous, but it is broken by a small creek, which, at high-water, can be entered by vessels of 100 tons burden, and a pier has been built. Near the village is a fort, placed on a rocky headland, and within the fort is a lighthouse. The forti fications occupy about 3 acres; 30 pieces of cannon are mounted on them, and a garrison is maintained. It was held for James IL, and hence he embarked on his final departure for France. FERNS. Fahard is a small but neat fishing-port and post-town, situated on a small inlet of the sea running up from Baunow Bay, about 16 miles S. from New Ross : population, 326. A branch of the coast-guard department is stationed here, and a small trade is carried on from the port in the importation of coal and timber, and the exportation of corn : there are also four cattle fairs held yearly. The harbour was constructed by government in 1798. The town was incorporated by James I., but the corporation is now extinct. It sent two members to the Irish Parliament. In the principal street is an ancient church, and an Anglo-Norman castle, now adapted as a residence. A Roman Catholic chapel and a dispensary are in the town. Kantore is a fishing village and post-town, having a small harbour on the eastern side of Ballyleigue Lough, which is separated from the sea by a long sand bank. The fishermen have constructed a pier for the accommodation of their craft, which, in sailing- and rowing-boats, number from 60 to 70. A Roman Catholic chapel is in the village, and there is a coast guard station. Newtotenbarry, a market- and post-town, is situated at the confluence of the Clody with the Slaney, about 22 miles N.W. from Wexford : population, 1307. Newtownbarry was formerly called Bunelody, from lta situation at the junction of the Clody and Slaney. The town forms an irregular square, and a western suburb extends into the county of Carlow, with which Newtownbarry is connected by a wooden bridge over the Clody. A stone bridge of seven arches crosses the Slauey. The market is well attended, and there are 13 annual fairs. The church is a neat structure, with a square tower surmounted by a spire. In the town is a hsndsome Roman Catholic chapel, three public schools, a dispensary, a fever hospital, a constabulary police force, and a detachment of the revenue police. Petty sessions are held monthly. Near the town is a strong chalybeate spring, but it has Gillen into disuse. Slate of excellent quality, building-stone, and granite, as well as limestone, and marl for manure, are found in the vicinity. Tughmon, a market- and post-town, and, until the Union, a parliamentary borough, stands on the road from Wexford to New Rosa, about 7 miles W. from Wexford : population, 1082. It contains a church, a Roman Catholic chapel, a fever hospital, a dispensary, a savings bank, and a police barrack, and petty sessions are held monthly ; but it is a poor and decaying place, though in a rich and fertile country, and now chiefly owes what trade it has to its market, at which butter is sold to a considerable extent, and to its fairs, of which it has 19 every year. The place derived its name, which was originally Theagli 3Iunno, or ' the House of 3Iunno,' from St. Isluuno, who founded an Augustinian monastery here, in the 6th century, to which the origin of the town is attributed.