On the Manufacture of Pa^er from Molinia cosrulea. 15 



been observed. It seems to confine itself to flat bogs, as I have 

 not found it, nor have I met anyone who has seen it growing on 

 mountain bogs. I have found it growing luxuriantly in the 

 counties Gal way, Roscommon, King's, Kildare, and Fermanagh, 

 and have received samples from Kerry and Donegal ; so that it 

 is probable the grass will be found more or less in all the flat 

 bog districts of the country. It is said to have been formerly 

 used in the Island of Skye for the manufacture of fishing nets. 

 It is now used in Kerry for making creel handles, and is locally 

 known as fedget grass. 



From the trials already made, both in quality and yield of 

 paper, the grass appears at least equal to Spanish and Algerian 

 Esparto. Two independent trials — one in Scotland — are now in 

 progress, which I have no doubt will confirm the favourable re- 

 sults already arrived at. 



From 1860 to the present time the use of Esparto has been 

 gradually increasing, and now the import amounts to nearly 

 200,000 tons per annum, at prices varying from £5 to £10 per 

 ton, according to quality and supply. As each year the yield per 

 acre of Esparto diminishes, to keep up the supply, it has to be 

 gathered from a constantly extending area ; and as the American 

 paper makers have now begun to use Esparto, the supply to Eng- 

 land is likely to be diminished or the cost increased. 



There are in Ireland upwards of 1,000,000 acres of flat boo-, 

 at present useless for any agricultural purpose. The entire of 

 this area might be made to grow " Irish Esparto." Mr. Richard- 

 son estimates the yield to be about half a ton to the statute 

 acre if grown as a crop ; and, therefore, to supply the English 

 market, some 400,000 acres of what is at present a wet spongy 

 mass would require to be drained, and, as considerable quantities 

 might be exported to America, the area of bog to be drained 

 need not be limited by the home demand. One obstacle to the 

 drainage of bogs has hitherto been that there was no known crop 

 of any value which could be grown on partially drained boo-. 

 The Melic Grass, which is a perennial, supplies this want, and 

 there is now no reason why a large portion of these worse than 

 useless bogs should not be drained, and the climate not only of 

 their own immediate neighbourhood, but also of the country in 

 general, be improved. 



