THE ROYAL DUBLIN SOCIETY 19 



and succeeding pages will show how earnestly it strove 

 to develop this branch of industry, as the climate and 

 soil of the south of Ireland seemed most favourable 

 for raising good cider apples. 



Another step taken was to have a catalogue drawn 

 up of all books of husbandry and mechanic arts, in 

 English, French, Greek, and Latin ; also to ascertain 

 what books in foreign languages gave the best account 

 of same, as practised in France, Flanders, Holland, 

 Germany, Poland, and Italy. A very practical sug- 

 gestion was also made and carried out, namely, that 

 letters should be sent to correspondents in the country 

 to engage them to form local societies in the principal 

 towns and cities, for the promotion of husbandry and 

 agriculture, which might establish communications 

 with the Dublin Society. A set of Maps of Ireland, 

 published by Grierson, was ordered to be purchased. 

 There is a reference to these maps in Dean Swift's 

 correspondence, in a letter of 25th December 1734, 

 from the Rev. Thomas Sheridan to Swift. 1 



On the 3rd of February 1732, a letter from Mr. 

 William Colles, of Kilkenny, was read, which informed 

 the Society that close to that city was a quarry of excellent 

 black marble, in which, together with some mills on 

 the river, he had secured an interest. He had tried ex- 

 periments, and, as a result, he had now ten saws moved 

 by water power, working night and day, which sawed 

 the marble truly. An engine ground the marble with 

 sand, to fit it for polishing, and Mr. Colles added 

 that he employed thirty hands in turning out chimney 

 pieces, tables, mortars, tombstones, &c. He had also 

 brought to perfection the boring of marble pipes, 

 which served to convey water underground and from 

 the tops of houses. The firm had executed an order 



1 Correspondence, ed. by F. E, Ball, v. 121. 



