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Wild Connemara. A Botanical Excursion in August 

 1890. By Charles Stuart, M.D. Edin. Univ., etc., 

 etc., Chirnside. 



In these days no place can be called remote. Connemara, a 

 district extending for a hundred miles and more along the west 

 coast of Ireland, was certainly so, before the advent of steam 

 boats and railways. Now, a pleasant journey of two days or 

 less, introduces the tourist from Scotland, to a district where the 

 Flora is so different, that a botanist cannot fail to be surprised 

 with the variety of plants he meets. The Gulf Stream impinging 

 on the west coast of Ireland, causes an increase of temperature, 

 which in a milder degree, is experienced on the west coast of our 

 own country, where, as in Argyleshire, the Islands of Arran, 

 Bute, etc., tender plants grow with a vigour unknown on our 

 eastern coast, so much exposed to the harsh airs of the north sea. 



On the 4th August 1890, a happy scientific party left the 

 Caledonian Station, Edinburgh, at 5 o'clock p.m., reached 

 Greenock at 7, got on board the "Duke of Leinster," Dublin 

 steamer, and after an excellent passage arrived at the Irish 

 capital at 11.30 a.m. of the 5th August. The views of the Irish 

 coast in our sail down the channel were very fine, the sun 

 shining on the land, and lighting up both hill and dale. After 

 getting settled at the Gresham Hotel, we visited the Eoyal 

 Botanic Gardens at Glasnevin, where Mr Moore, the courteous 

 curator, showed us over his choice collections, both under glass 

 and outside. Glasnevin is on a large scale, Government being 

 more liberal in the upkeep of the Irish, than the Scots Botanical 

 Gardens. Consequently the Palm, Fern, and Victoria regia 

 houses are on a magnificent scale, and well worth seeing. Many 

 plants grow luxuriantly outside that will not exist with us, the 

 Herbaceous and Alpine collections being especially interesting. 

 After spending the afternoon here, we drove to Trinity College 

 Gardens, where Mr Burbidge of Narcissus fame, has also a very 

 interesting collection, which we carefully inspected. 



On the morning of the sixth August, we left Dublin by the 

 express train for Westport via Athlone. Westport is situated 

 in Co. Mayo, and is a four hours and a half railway journey. 

 Most unfortunately we arrived in the middle of one of the great 

 Irish fairs. We avoided Galway, as horse races were in 

 progress. Here, at the other end of Connemara, we got into a 



