1879.] CARTON. 91 



lows, and maybe moping owls, and many other forms of life may 

 be seen for which this rare old plant forms a shelter ; and it must 

 have taken hundreds of years to creep over these ruins old, and to 

 gain its present strength. 



Within the college-gates grows an ancient Yew-tree, which may 

 have been planted by some one of the former inhabitants of the 

 ancient castle. Outside it seems old enough to have been a tree when 

 Ireland was first annexed to the English crown, or it might have 

 been a bush when William came over from "Normandy and annexed 

 England to his own. It is the most perfect and healthy of any 

 old Yew-tree we ever saw of the same age ; indeed there does not 

 seem any sign of decay, so far as we remember. The bole is like an 

 immense fluted column, smallest at the very base, and widening as 

 it rises to the branches ; and we should say that the diameter may 

 be 5 feet at the widest part, of solid timber. We have seen Yews of 

 greater diameter, but decayed in the heart. This tree alone is worth 

 the journey from Dublin to see. Of Maynooth College we have 

 nothing to say horticulturally, except that in the kitchen we saw and 

 smelt the conversion of an immense caldron of Cabbages, after 

 boiling, into food beautiful and savory for the 500 students about 

 to sit down to dinner ; Potatoes also, and a caldron of cocoa under- 

 going an infusion of two hours for tea. There is a college-park, and 

 lawns and shady avenues. 



Repairing to the ivy-mantled towers and along the boulevard, we 

 enter a long, straight drive, with broad margins, 60 or more feet of 

 Grass, with a line of trees, Spanish Chestnuts, and Limes on either side; 

 and in the far distance the eye encounters another gateway, with 

 dense masses of foliage in the background. The long avenue has a 

 bare, uncomfortable look about it ; but one feels that some old pa- 

 trician home is near. Through the gate, which is substantial, if not 

 imposing, the drive crosses a handsome modern bridge, which spans 

 a narrow part of a large lake, and from which some good views aie 

 had of the lake and park and masses of large oak-timber. Over the 

 bridge, the visitor finds himself in dressed ground, a highly-kept 

 drive, margined with choice evergreen shrubs and conifers and 

 shaven Grass, which winds around an incline to the carriage front 

 of the house, which does not call for much attention. 



The kitchen-garden is very large, say 9 acres, intersected by fine old Yew- 

 hedges and cross-walls ; the soil heavy, and the situation apparently wet ; the 

 walls admirably covered with well-trained Pear-trees of all the leading sorts, 

 and laden with fruit. There were large quantities of very fine Strawberry - 

 plants in pots ; a long border full of herbaceous materials and annuals for 

 spring bedding, in fine health ; a loDg range of Peach-houses, the trees in fine 

 health and training ; long ranges of vineries ; and some venerable Fig-trees, 



