94 ROSACEA. [Pyrus. 
to 1,900 feet on Beenoskee and to 2,300 feet on the Reeks 
(Hart). 
First record in 1804: Wade Rar.—‘ This very pleasing 
tree is to be met with pretty commonly about Killarney in 
the woods and some of the mountains.” 
The form flava with orange-yellow fruit has been noticed 
about Killarney : vide Druce in New Phytol., Nov., 1911. 
According to early writers like Drs. Smith and Wade, 
the berries of the Mountain Ash and the allied Sorbus were 
formerly held in great repute for various useful purposes, 
Thus, if dried and ground, the berries made a wholesome 
bread, they could also be made to afford a ‘“‘ not unpleasant 
jelly,” while last, though probably not least, an ardent 
spirit of a ‘fine flavour” might be distilled from them. 
It is somewhat surprising that with all these qualifications 
the Mountain Ash is not now one of the most abundant trees 
in Kerry. 
P. Malus Linn. Crab Apple. 
Districts I. JT. WT. IV. V. VI. VIL. VIII. IX. 
Native. Hedges, woods and bushy or rocky places. Rather 
common. A small tree. May. 
From sea-level, to 700 feet inthe Roughty valley (2.W.S.). 
First record in 1756: Dr. Smith, Hist. of Kerry, p. 154, &c. 
Both the true Crab—P. sylvestris Linn. (P. acerba DC) 
and P. mitis Wallr. occur pretty freely, usually in suspicious 
stations. While the latter form is generally regarded as 
always derived from cultivation, trees of P. sylvestris have 
been noticed in Kerry growing remote from habitations and 
looking quite native. A fine tree of the true Crab near 
Muckross Abbey measured in 1904, was seven feet three 
inches in girth at two feet above the ground ; several other 
large trees occur near Ballyhorgan between Listowel and 
Lixnaw and elsewhere in the county. 
Although orchards are still to be seen scattered throughout 
the county, it is clear from early writers that the Apple was 
formerly much more extensively grown in Kerry than it is at 
present. In his History, Dr. Smith refers on several occasions 
to orchards which no longer exist, and speaks of the neigh- 
bourhood of Tralee as producing “ as good cyder as any in 
Ireland.” He especially extols the soil of the lower Maine 
valley as remarkably good for fruit trees; an apple tree 
thereabouts, at Ballygamboone, ‘“‘as the owner assured 
me” produced three hogsheads of cyder, and a tree here, 
measured by Dr. Smith himself, covered with its branches 
