On the 29th
of August, owing, of course, to the harvest having come in, the number
had fallen to 43,655. In ordinary years, when there was neither blight,
nor fear of blight, it was deemed good husbandry to procure foreign seed
potatoes, and if this could not be done, farmers at least tried to
procure "strange" seed, grown at a distance from their own farms. A
larger and in every way a better crop was the usual result of this
practice. After the potato blight of 1845, the procuring of sound, and
if possible of foreign seed, for planting in Ireland was of the utmost
importance, and indeed Sir Robert Peel had included, in his new tariff,
the admission of foreign potatoes free, in the hope of securing good
seed for the planting of 1846; but as the Corn and Customs' Bill did not
become law until the end of June, this provision could be of no avail
for that year.
The Peel Government was defeated on the Irish Coercion Act on the 25th
of June, and the Duke of Wellington and Sir Robert Peel announced their
resignation on the 29th in the Upper and Lower Houses respectively. The
Duke contented himself with the simple announcement; but Sir Robert made
a speech, reviewing and defending his conduct whilst minister.
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