Present State of Gardening in Ireland. \ 3 



stance simply to show that this plant might be used with great 

 success in covering bowers and other rustic buildings during 

 the summer and autumn, even should it not resist the winter 

 months. 



The gardens and demesnes of the Chief and Under Secre- 

 taries are also well worth notice. The gardens are extensive, 

 and have been long celebrated for their excellent productions. 

 The demesnes are neat and well wooded. Mr. Forsyth, gar- 

 dener to the Chief Secretary, is well known as an excellent 

 general horticulturist; and Mr.Wilkie, gardener to Mr. Gre- 

 gory, is a highly respectable man in his profession, and a 

 zealous amateur in every thing tending to its improvement. 



In observing generally on the present state of gardening 

 here, we have to remark that the same indifference to every 

 improvement in horticultural buildings prevails, as in the 

 royal gardens around London. Every new method runs its 

 round, before it passes the centinel at the gate, and in ninety- 

 nine cases out of a hundred it is refused admittance. The 

 dressed grounds are upon an extensive scale, very formal, and 

 as yet no variety of ornamental trees or shrubs have been 

 introduced. 



Not many years ago the neighbourhood of Dublin could 

 boast of some as splendid gardens as any around London. 

 But, alas ! how are things changed. Look at Rathfarnham 

 Castle, not a solitary instance, but one out of many, where a 

 magnificent green house, on the same plan as those at Hamp- 

 ton Court and Kew, has been turned into a cow-shed, and 

 the fine old Dutch garden is now a total ruin. In this coun- 

 try, whenever a gentleman's affairs render it necessary to re- 

 duce his expenditure, or his health or business calls him 

 abroad, the first step of his agent, who is generally an at- 

 torney, or some person equally regardless of every thing but 

 making money, is to recommend the gardener's discharge, 

 and that the garden be either let or left to the care of some 

 old follower ; that is, one who has worked for many years 

 about the place. This is no imaginary view ; in nineteen cases 

 out of twenty such advice is given, and as often followed. 

 But mark the consequences: — the labourer undertakes the 

 business, and for which he is paid the sum of ten pence per 

 day. If, in the course of a few years, the proprietor returns 

 home, or finds it convenient to keep his place in its former 

 style, where are his fruit and ornamental trees, &c, the labor of 

 a hundred years ? — gone ! for what ? the mighty saving of 

 a few pounds. The painter and gilder may repair any dila- 

 pidations that time may have made in the house ; should 

 even the fabrick itself have tumbled down, it can be rebuilt, 



