PARISH OF TEMPLEMORE. 
though formerly it was abundant, as is proved by their own testimony from experience and by the 
few scattered stumps which still remain resting on the present surface. Not so, however with oaks 
as their stumps are commonly found resting on the gravel at the base, or on the sides of the small 
hillocks of gravel and sand, which so often stud the surfaces of bogs, and have by Mr. Aher 
been aptly called “ islands.” He further adds that in the counties of Tipperary, Kilkenny &c 
they are popularly called “ derries”—a name deserving attention, whether viewed as expressive 
of the existing fact, or as resulting from a lingering traditionary remembrance of their former 
condition, when, crowned with oaks, they were distinguishable from the dense forest of firs 
skirting the marshy plains around them. The strong resemblance to ancient water-courses, of 
e valleys and basins which now contain bog, and the occurrence of marl and shells at the 
bottoms of many, naturally suggest the idea of shallow lakes—a view of the subject adopted in 
e . Bog Reports, by Messrs. Nimmo and Griffith. Such lakes may have originated in the natu¬ 
ral inequalities of the ground,—or been formed by the choking-up of channels of drainage by heaps 
of clay and gravel, or they may have been reduced to the necessary state of shallowness by the 
gradual wearing-away of obstacles, which had dammed up and retained their waters at a higher 
level. Mr. Nimmo describes the mode in which the basin of a bog has been banked in by the 
alluvial deposits of a river (during freshets), and, in a similar manner, numerous examples might 
and a below < th°eh b level SeParated ^ ° f ^ ^ grave1, owin S to rivers runnin g at their base, 
In some cases also clay, which is so frequently found spread over gravel at the bottom of 
by "“ in " E ,l ” of “ s " W". h “ 
In all such cases the process may be thus stated:—A shallow pool induced and favoured the 
vegetation of aquatic plants, which gradually crept in from the borders towards the deeper centre 
lud accumulated round their roots and stalks, and a spongy semi-fluid mass was thus formed, weli 
fitted for the growth of moss, which now, especially sphagnum, began to luxuriate. This 
absoibing a large quantity of water, and continuing to shoot out new plants above, while the old 
w ere decaying, rotting, and compressing into a solid substance below, gradually replaced the water bv 
a mass of vegetable matter. In this manner the marsh might be filled up, while the central or 
moister portion, continuing to excite a more rapid growth of the moss, it would be gradually raised 
a love the edges, until the whole surface had attained an elevation, sufficient to discharge the surface 
water by existing channels of drainage, and calculated by its slope to facilitate their passage when a 
lmit would be m some degree set to its further increase. Springs existing under the bo^ or in its 
immediate vicinity, might indeed still favour its growth, though in a decreasing ratio; and here— 
it the water proceeding from them were so obstructed as to accumulate at its base, and to keep it in 
sn TnMl fl " ld state — the surface of the bog might be ultimately so raised, and its continuity below 
country 5 " deStroyed ’ as to cause to flow over the retaining obstacle, and flood the adjacent 
man }f mountain districts the progress of the phenomenon is similar. Pools, indeed, cannot in so 
any instances be formed, the steep slopes facilitating drainage,—but the clouds and mists, resting 
on the summits and sides of mountains, amply supply their surface with moisture, which comes too 
in the most favourable form for vegetation-not in a sudden torrent, but uncea ingly and“enfly 
drop by drop The extent of such bogs is also affected by the nature of the rock Mow^hem.’ 
On quartz they are shallow and small; on any rock, yielding by its decomposition a clayey 
coating, they are considerable—the thickness of the bog, for example, on Knocklaid, in the county 
of Antrim which is 1685 high, being near 12 feet. The summit bogs of high mountains me 
distinguishable from those of lower levels, by the total absence of large trees. 
general phenomena of the growth of bog having been explained, as clearly as the subject 
freel r n t adm !'l necessar y to . describe in detail the remarkable fact, that successive layers of 
differen leveh^inl 6r6C ‘P° S1 ‘ lon ; and furnished with all their roots, are found at distinctly 
bvMr Ahi ^ a t Sma11 dlstance from each other—a fact which has been noticed 
by Mr. Aher, and may be verified in the bogs of Mullennan, Shantallow, and Ballymagrorty 
On entering into this inquiry it is necessary to premise—that the firs found in bogs are Scotch 
w’t “TT° US ex P e , r j™ ents > are n °w known to grow and flourish when planted in 
° Walworth \\ ood, near Ballykelly, is an example—the trees having there grown for many 
years, and attained a large size under similar circumstances. 
Reverting now to the preceding remarks, it appears that the consolidation of the lower 
poition ot the turf was a necessary preparation for the first growth of timber, and—considering 
6 °\ ^ thr ° W “ ° Ut by these trees ’ and the extent of s P ace over which they 
and exten h sh-T°t de “ " eadd y P erce . lved > b y which they obtained a basis of support sufficiently firm 
matted hv he ? a ^ ^ hlCreasin S st ems. The first layer of turf was now 
-Si-’ and cov . ered b y the trlmks of ‘he first growth of timber, but, as the bog 
still continued to vegetate, and to accumulate round the growing stem, a new layer of turf was 
