116 HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY OF TREES. PART I. 
‘The nursery of Mr. Hodgins at Dunganstown, near Wicklow, 
was established about 1780, and was well stocked with foreign 
trees and shrubs. Mr. Niven kindly measured some of the 
largest of these for us in February, 1835, and a copious list has 
been sent to us by the proprietor, Mr. Hodgins, through Mr. 
Mackay. ‘The Cupréssus lusitanica in this nursery, 54 years 
planted, is 20 ft. high, with a trunk, at 1 ft. from the ground, 
5 ft. in girt, and the branches covering a space the circumference 
of which is upwards of 120 ft. This is probably the finest in 
Ireland, next to Lord Ferrard’s, mentioned p.109. There is 
a hedge of evergreen oaks in this nursery 50 ft. high. There 
are several large silver firs, with trunks which girt 6 ft. and 7 ft., 
which have grown to the height of 60 ft.; red cedars 20 ft., and 
laurels and bays 30 ft. high; there is a Lucombe oak 50 ft. 
high, with a trunk 18 in. in diameter at 10 ft. from the ground ; 
the cedar of Lebanon, 45 years planted, is from 30 ft. to 35 ft. 
high; the Portugal laurel is 30 ft. high; the timber of this 
tree, Mr. Hodgins observes, is better than that of the cherry. 
There are many pines from 20 ft. to 30 ft. high; aristotelias, 
20 ft. high; O'lea excélsa, 12 ft. high; Norway maple, the 
wood of which, Mr. Hodgins observes, is as hard as box; and 
the sugar maple, growing as vigorously as the common syca~ 
more. All these trees, and many others, were planted by the 
present proprietor, who, Mr. Niven informs us, is a most enthu- 
siastic and successful cultivator, who has done, perhaps, more in 
Ireland, in the way of cultivating rare trees and shrubs, than any 
other contemporary; and who, though of an advanced age, is 
still healthy and vigorous, and derives the greatest enjoyment 
from the exercise of his profession. 
The nursery of Mr. Robertson, at Kilkenny, was founded by 
the father of the present proprietor about 1765, who introduced 
most of the foreign trees and shrubs cultivated about that time 
in the London nurserits. ‘Though most of these were used as 
stools for propagation, yet a few of them have been allowed to 
run up as specimens. Among these is a Corylus Colairna, which, 
at 50 years’ growth, is 3 ft. 7 in. in girt at 1 ft. from the ground; 
it is 25 ft. high, and the diameter of its head is nearly 50 ft. 
Besides this, an Az/dntus glandulosa, a Judas tree, and several 
others, are worthy of notice; the details of which will be found 
in the Gard. Mag., vol. xi. p.210. Most of the other nurseries 
in Ireland were founded, we believe, in’ the succeeding century. 
The establishment of a Botanic Garden at Glasnevin must 
have given a considerable stimulus to the introduction of foreign 
trees and shrubs into Ireland. ‘This garden owes its origin, in 
1797, to the late Lord Oriel. The plan of the garden, Mr. 
Mackay informs us, “ was also suggested by His Lordship, but 
the laying out and arrangement were the work of Mr. Under- 
