•288 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



" That was made by Cromwell's cannon, sir." 



"We found tlie shadow of this comical genius in our driver at 

 Dublin. He tried to induce us to hire him to drive us out to 

 some celebrated place in the neighborhood, — price, ten shillings. 



" And you expect us to pay your extra drinking money ? " 



" Oh, no ! I never drinks, only a little ale. I doesn't like 

 water, except it's a little diluted." 



The country in the neighborhood of Cork has been wholly 

 denuded of trees, and all the forests to be seen have been 

 planted artificially, mostly with the Scotch larch and the Scotch 

 pine. A few beautiful English oaks are seen, here and there, 

 overgrown with ivy, while the white flowering honey-suckle is 

 running everywhere over the walls and hedges. Most beau- 

 tiful effects are also produced by planting the laurel and the 

 arbutus or strawberry tree, around the residences of many 

 gentlemen. The cedar of Lebanon is also occasionally seen 

 here growing in great perfection in ornamental grounds. It is 

 a tree well adapted to our rural cemeteries, and I am surprised 

 that it is not oftener seen in our own country. It is a half 

 hardy tree and, of course, somewhat tender, but would probably 

 do in sheltered places. 



The country around here is pretty well cultivated, but in 

 small patches, surrounded by stone walls, and hedges. Every 

 thing is whitewashed, even the pillars and walls at the entrance 

 of fine residences, and hence every thing has a mean and 

 tasteless look which is offset only by the astonishing luxuriance 

 of foliage of every description. 



Blarney Castle is about four hundred years old, built by the 

 McCarthys, in 1475. It is surrounded by a beautiful grove, and 

 immediately behind there rolls a sluggish stream with extensive 

 meadows on either side. The castle is in ruins and inhabited 

 by rooks. 



The lakes of Killarney are not far from the road from Cork 

 to Dublin, and no one would think of passing without a sight, at 

 least, of a spot so famous for picturesque beauty. They are in 

 the county of Kerry. The country through which we pass is 

 not of much interest. A good deal of it is low and swampy, 

 and the houses, many of them, the meanest of mud hovels. 



The Kerry cows are often sold here for from ten to twelve 

 guineas, or from fifty to sixty dollars. The practice is for the 



