The History of Ralahine and Co-operative Farming. By E. T.
Craig. (Triibner and Co.)—This story of Ralahine, which was noticed at some length in this journal some twelve years ago, is a very interesting one. It was an experiment in agricultural co-opera- tion, tried on the estate of a certain Mr. Vandelenr, in County Clare, in the years 1831-33, and promised to be very successful. Unhappily, everything was brought to an abrupt end by the bankruptcy and flight of the proprietor. He had lost heavily at the gambling-table ; his interest in the Ralahine estate had to be sold, and one of the most interesting experiments that has ever been tried in Ireland was cruelly interrupted. Mr. Craig has the best right in the world to. tell the tale, for he was Mr. Vandeleur's representative, coming over from England to take charge—so far as it was not self-governed —of the association. We could wish, however, that he had done better justice to a most interesting narrative. It is mixed up in the oddest way with irrelevant matters ; Mr. Craig's notions on things in general, on Pythagorus (sic) and the Greeks, on "chest expanders," "coloured cubes to register the teacher's silent approval," and the like.
Previous page
