111 
extent to the cultivation of as complete a collection of Coniferae 
as he has been able to get together. The climate of Headfort may 
not be quite so favourable to the growth of tender conifers as that of 
such places as Kilmacurragh, or Rostrevor, still less Fota, but the 
soil is axdellett and the site moist—two factors very conducive to the 
well-being of the vast pins wales of conifers, especially spruces, firs, 
cedars, cypresses and member the Taxaceae. The magnificent 
dimensions that such peer ae as larch and common silver fir have 
attained in old plantations on the estate afford very encouraging 
ie for the nuewly-founded pinetum, the first trees of which 
lanted on February 17. No one site will ever be found to 
Me “all conifers—the moist mild conditions that so admirably meet 
the needs of Chilean, New Zealand and many British Columbian 
species cannot be perfectly adapted to the pines say of N.E. 
America, or the species from the hot and often arid regions of 
Arizona and other of the 8.W. United States. But, on the whole, 
I believe the delightfully picturesque site selected by Lord 
Headfort will be found to support in health and vigour as large a 
number ‘species as any one place of similar size in the British 
is appropriate to record the foundation of this collection 
in these zit because it promises to be as complete in a botanical 
sense as any private collection in the Kingdom. 
AVONDALE FoRESTRY STATION, 
An interesting and useful work in experimental forestry has been 
initiated on the estate of the late Charles Stewart Parnell at 
Avondale, some 550 acres of which have been acquired by Govern- 
ment for the purpose. It lies at ron 250 to 400 feet elevation and 
its eastern boundary is the River Avonmore, to the beautiful valley 
of which one part of the estate slopes abruptly. The chief object 
of the station is to test the value of exotic timber trees in Irelan 
and, incidentally, to provide a place of training for young men 
desirous of taking up forestry as a profession. ‘The work was only ~ 
started in 1905, and the eight years that have elapsed since then 
o not, of course, constitute a long enough period for any very 
striking or conclusive results to have been arrived at. In another 
done in some plo ota, but until then a genuine forest bottom cannot 
be said to have been establishe 
The scheme adopted is at once simple and effective. A broad 
avenue extends across the land, at each side of which have been 
planted one-acre blocks of various exotic trees. They are usually 
mixed with other trees intended to serve as temporary nurses, but 
sometimes they are planted in pure blocks. Standing out in the 
avenue opposite each block is a single isolated specimen of the same 
species as the one of which the block is composed. It has sufficient 
space to allow of its attaining the dimensions and form of — finest — 
type of park tree, 
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