OF THE COUNTY OF TYRONE. 115 



How far the country might be enriched by intro- 

 ducing more roads is evident, not only from the ufe- 

 ful purpofe of cheapening the carriage of limeftone, 

 but alfo the great advantage of being able to procure 

 bog timber at a much cheaper rate than the prefent. 



Extenfive bogs we find richer in timber than fmall 

 fcattered patches, and the great bogs invariably afford 

 more bog-fir than bog-oak, the former being of three 

 times the value of the latter. It is alfo found, that tim- 

 ber is in larger quantities in the middle of large bogs, 

 than at the edges; hence the neceffity of making roads 

 quite through them. 



I have been often an eye-witnefs to fcenes of ftrug- 

 gling and great fatigue in getting out logs of timber to 

 the hard land, frequently at the diftance of a mile from 

 where the bog was found. Roads would certainly 

 cheapen this bufinefs, not to mention the many other 

 advantages, that would naturally follow the introduc- 

 tion of them. It is in vain to fet about reclaiming ex- 

 tenfive bogs, without firft forming roads, and making 

 large drains and water-tables. A bog may be drain- 

 ed in fome ineafure, but how are hard materials for 

 covering them to be brought in, without roads ? 



Under this head, I beg it may be underftood, that I 

 principally allude to flat extended trafts of red fpongy 

 bog, moft commonly in a floating ftate, which, of all 

 fpecies of bogs, are the moft difficult to improve; but 

 more of this under its proper head. 



