348 Domestic Notices : — Ireland. 



have been supported by government, as the Dublin Society, the Cork 

 Institution, &c, have degenerated into mere jobs. Whoever wishes to 

 know something of the state of jobbing in Ireland, may turn to the Scots- 

 man newspaper of Jan. 6. 1830, where, in a review of the Report of the 

 Commissioners of Revenue on the State of the Irish Post-Offi.ce, will be seen 

 an account which is enough to make a man exclaim, that, if the peasantry 

 of Ireland are in a state of physical degradation, the gentry are not less 

 degraded morally. We do not believe there is any thing in the world equal 

 to it, except in Russia. However, as the Society proposes to confine itself 

 to collecting and diffusing arbori cultural knowledge, we cannot see how it can 

 possibly do harm. An active, scientific, and practical agent, by travelling 

 through the country, might possibly effect something by instructing local 

 foresters and woodmen ; and if proprietors were very anxious for the 

 improvement of their woodlands, such professional foresters as Pontey in 

 England, and Sang and Cruickshanks in Scotland, would soon be called into 

 existence in Ireland, without the aid of any society : in fact, there is our 

 correspondent Fraser, who, we will venture to assert, understands vege- 

 table physiology, as applicable to trees and the whole management of plant- 

 ations, as well as any man in the two islands. But, from what we can 

 learn, the foresters of Ireland are much too ignorant and conceited to take 

 instructions, or be put out of their routine practices by strangers ; and 

 therefore the grand and essential thing is to enlighten the rising generation 

 generally, to begin at the beginning. In the mean time, every temporary 

 exertion is worth something ; and the mere circumstance of calling public 

 attention to the subject, and bringing people together, or into communi- 

 cation, who are occupied with the same pursuit, is certain of doing good. 

 In these views, we hail the appearance of the Arboricultural Society, and 

 wish it every possible success. — Cond. 



Mr. Preiser's name, we in this country regret to see, is falling into the 

 middle distance of your pages. He has left much undone, which might 

 have been of real use to the county where he resided ; I may add, to gar- 

 deners and Ireland at large. Knowing your Magazines to be widely cir- 

 culated in this kingdom, I hope you will call upon some of your intelligent 

 readers to send you an account of the places they have visited, which might 

 be the means of operating upon both the employer and the employed. 

 Start the subject, and I have no doubt of its success. I am, Sir, &c. — 

 L. L. January, 1330. 



We have repeatedly done so, but there seems to be something in Ireland 

 which breeds laziness ; there seems to be a want of poor rates, to excite 

 to activity and industry. As far as gardening is concerned, absenteeism 

 causes the blight. To the peasantry poor rates would be a real good ; and 

 if the- landlords would meet them by the cottage system already laid down 

 (not a forced cottage system), and by giving every cottager a loom, which 

 might reduce the quantum of land, they would have nothing to fear. — 

 Cond, 



Poor Laws. — We have not the least doubt that had a system of poor 

 laws, similar to that which has been established in England, been established 

 for the same period in Ireland, it would, by giving the landlords and gentry 

 of the country a deep pecuniary interest in the repression of the numbers of 

 the poor, have powerfully tended to prevent that splitting of farms, and 

 excessive increase of the population, that are the prune causes of all the 

 evils of Ireland. ( Ed. Rev?) 



Mildness of the Climate near Belfast. — Sir, Having received much plea- 

 sure from your Gardener's Magazine, and being passionately fond of culti- 

 vating shrubs and flowers, which I have been in the habit of practically 

 doing myself in a small garden as my greatest amusement, I am induced to 

 give you some remarks, which, if you please to make use of in whole or 

 part, you are very welcome. I think this part of Ireland, on the sea-shore, 



