IRISH GARDENING. 



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Ireland, and nearly all the fcrees that could be 

 mown on the Riviera could lie grown here. The 

 types of brees most profitable to Ireland ivere bo 

 lie found on the Pacific coast, of America, the 

 region where trees attained their greatest size. 

 Dr. Henry referred to the pine forests which u3ed 

 to cover Ireland between the glacial period and 

 the bronze age, and showed pictures of the 

 remains of their roots, some of which were 1 > 

 !><■ found exposed at low water at Bray. Among 

 I he types of trees which the lecturer said 

 were suitable for various conditions prevailing 

 in Ireland were the Corsican pine, the Scotch 

 pine, the Austrian pine, the Pinus insignis, the 

 Sitka spruce, and the Maritime pine. 



The Corsican pine was said to pile up timber 

 much faster than the Scotch pine. On good soil 

 the Douglas fir will produce timber at the rate 

 of 200 cubic feet per annum. Pinus insignis was 

 Strongly recommended as a shelter-tree by the 

 Seacoasi : in the South of Ireland it has grown 

 100 feet in forty years. The Sitka spruce will 

 mow on welter and poorer soil than the Douglas 

 fir ; it is superior to the common Spruce, and 

 will also grow at a higher altitude. 



The Maritime pine was of particular interest 

 in view of the experiments in planting bog land 

 carried out by Lord de Vesci at Dunmore, Conne- 

 mara. in the face, so to speak, of Providence. 

 More than forty acres had been planted at a cost 

 of Is. 6d. for seed and 2s. 6d. for labour, and now 

 at the end of four years the I reeS had reached the 

 astonishing height Of from I to feet. No other 

 I rees which had been tried had done any good at 

 all Under the conditions prevailing there. They 

 knew that trees would grow on bogs, where the 

 conditions of drainage were good. Dr. Henry 



displayed a sample of rope made from the old 

 pine tree roots by a man at Coleraine. If had 

 a fifth the strength of manilla ropes, and had 

 been used in thatching, and also to form the 

 Spring mattresses of older days. 



The bold Lieutenant, in proposing a vote of 

 thanks to Dr. Henry, said that for some time lu- 

 had recognised the Irish Forestry Society as an 

 institution which deserved the grateful apprecia- 

 tion of the whole community. It stimulated 

 and encouraged the recognition of the immense 

 value and importance of those things which were 

 included under the heading of forestry in regard 

 to Ireland. Very valuable operations were now 

 being carried on through the Department of 

 Agriculture, but side by side with any such State 

 action, immensely desirable as it was, the creation 

 and stimulating of public opinion was also of the 

 greatest importance. Many trees had been taken 

 down for one reason or another, and probably 

 many of those responsible regretted it. especially 

 as regards the need of shelter on fa. ms. In con- 

 clusion, he would quote the maxim of the old 

 Scot< hman. delivered to his son: " Jock, be aye 

 stickin' a tree : if will he aye growin' when you 

 are sleepin'." They might apply that very 

 widely. 



Mr. Charles Dawson seconded, and pointed out 

 the immense change which had taken place in 

 those provinces of France bordering on the 

 Bay of Biscay, where people formerly went about 

 on stilts. Those provinces now brought in fifteen 

 million pounds to the Government, and were 

 some of the richest districts in France. He 

 suggested that the Lord Lieutenant should 

 inaugurate an Arbor Day in the rapidly-approach- 

 ing planting season. 



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