1]6 



HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY OF TREES. PART I, 



The nursery of Mr. Hodgins at Dunganstown, near Wicklow, 

 was established about 1780, and was well stocked with foreign 

 trees and shrubs. Mr. Niven kindly measured some of the 

 largest of these for us in February, 1835, and a copious list has 

 been sent to^ us by the proprietor, Mr. Hodgins, through Mr. 

 Mackay. The Cupressus lusitanica in this nursery, 54 years 

 planted, is 20 ft. high, with a trunk, at 1 ft. from the ground, 

 5 ft. in girt, and the branches covering a space the circumference 

 of which is upwards of 120 ft. This is probably -the finest in 

 Ireland, next to Lord Ferrard's, mentioned p. 109. There is 

 a hedge of evergreen oaks in this nursery 50 ft. high. There 

 are several large silver firs, with trunks which girt 6 it. and 7 ft., 

 which have grown to the height of 60 ft, ; red cedars 20 ft., and 

 laurels and bays 30 ft. high ; there is a Lucombe oak 50 ft. 

 high, with a trunk 18 in. in diameter at 10 ft. from the ground ; 

 the cedar of Lebanon, 45 years planted, is from 30 ft. to 35 ft. 

 high; the Portugal laurel is 30 ft. high; the timber of this 

 tree, Mr. Hodgins observes, is better than that of the cherry. 

 There are many pines from 20 ft. to 30 ft. high ; aristotelias, 

 20 ft. high; O'lea excelsa, 12ft. high; Norway maple, the 

 wood of which, Mr. Hodgins observes, is as hard as box; and 

 the sugar maple, growing as vigorously as the common syca- 

 more. All these trees, and many others, were planted by the 

 present proprietor, who, Mr. Niven informs us, is a most enthu- 

 siastic and successful cultivator, who has done, perhaps, more in 

 Ireland, in the way of cultivating rare trees and shrubs, than any 

 other contemporary ; and who, though of an advanced age, is 

 still healthy and vigorous, and derives the greatest enjoyment 

 from the exercise of his profession. 



The nursery of Mr. Robertson, at Kilkenny, was founded by 

 the father of the present proprietor about 1765, who introduced 

 most of the foreign trees and shrubs cultivated about that time 

 in the London nurseries. Though most of these were used as 

 stools for propagation, yet a few of them have been allowed to 

 run up as specimens. Among these is a Corylus Colurna, which, 

 at 50 years' growth, is 3 ft. 7 in. in girt at 1 ft. from the ground; 

 it is 25 ft. high, and the diameter of its head is nearly 50 ft. 

 Besides this, an Ailctntus gland ulosa, a Judas tree, and several 

 others, are worthy of notice; the details of which will be found 

 in the Gard, ikf<7^., vol. xi. p. 210. Most of the other nurseries 

 in Ireland were founded, we believe, in the succeeding century. 



The establishment of a Botanic Garden at Glasnevin must 

 have given a considerable stimulus to the introduction of foi-eign 

 trees and shrubs into Ireland. This garden owes its origin, in 

 1797, to the late Lord Oriel. The plan of the gardeiif Mr. 

 Mackay informs us, " was also suggested by His Lordship, but 

 the laying out and arrangement were the work of Mr. Under- 



