at 5 ft., 10 ft; and at 19 ft., 10 ft.; and the space covered by its branches is nearly 355 ft. in circumference.

At Cypress Grove, near Dublin, Mr. Mackay informs us, the Dowager Lady Clanbrassill resided from 1770 to 1790, during which period she received a number of foreign trees and shrubs from her son. The dimensions of many of these, the present gardener, Mr. Edward Carrol, has obligingly sent us, at the request of Mr. Mackay. The collection is numerous, and some of the specimens have attained a considerable size. Robínia PseùdAcàcia is 60 ft. high; Laúrus nóbilis, 30 ft.; Juglans règia, 70 ft.; Carpinus Bétulus, 90 ft.; Quércus Cérris, 70 ft.; and Juniperus virginiàna, 40 ft., &c.

At Moira, according to information kindly sent us by the present proprietor, Sir Robert Bateson, there appear to be very few, if any, of the trees existing that were planted by Sir Arthur Rawdon, about the end of the seventeenth century (see p. 48.). A number are of considerable size, but their ages are unknown; among these are, a lime tree, which is 85 ft. high, the diameter of the space covered by its branches is 60 ft., and that of its trunk, at 1 ft. from the ground, 4 ft.; a beech, 110 ft. high, the diameter of the space covered by its branches being 80 ft., and that of its trunk, at 1 ft. from the ground, 4 ft. 4 in.; a variegated platanus, 50 ft. high; and a Plátanus acerifòlia, 70 ft. high; Quércus I'lex, 45 ft. high, with a trunk 4 ft. in diameter at I ft. from the ground, and the diameter of the space covered by its branches, 35 ft.; a broad-leaved elm, 90 ft. high, the trunk 3 ft. 10 in. in diameter, and the diameter of the space covered by its branches, 60 ft.; Gleditschia triacánthos, 55 ft. high; a sweet chestnut, 40 ft. high; the silver fir, 90 ft. high; and the common yew tree, 45 ft. high, with a trunk 4 ft. in diameter, and the space covered by its branches being 39 ft. in diameter.

The late John Templeton, Esq., A.L.S., was a scientific botanist, as well as a skilful cultivator; he was the author of several articles on botany, and on other branches of natural history, which appeared in different works, and of some valuable papers on acclimatising plants, published in the Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy. A very interesting account of his life, by Dr. Drummond, will be found in our Magazine of Natural History, vol. i. p. 403. It appears that Mr. Templeton had a country house at Malone, near Belfast, to which he gave the name of Crann-more, that is, Great tree, in honour of the very fine chestnut trees which are in front of the house, and which were probably planted in the 17th century: it had before been called Orange Grove. Mr. Templeton began to cultivate flowers in 1786, and he laid out an experimental garden in 1793. At the time of his death, which happened in 1826, there were, says his biographer, "collected in this garden, from various

parts of the world, many rare and useful plants, which he endeavoured to naturalise in this climate, by placing them in a soil and situation as near as possible to that to which they had been accustomed. By this means there is now growing in his garden in the open air, a wonderful and curious collection of plants from India, China, North and South America, Siberia, &c., which were formerly kept in the green-house, or even hot-house. All the trees at Cranmore, except the chestnuts and oaks, were raised from seed planted by Mr. Templeton himself, and so great a variety of the natives of the forest, has perhaps never before been collected in so small a place." (Mag. Nat. H., i. 405.) Mr. Templeton corresponded with all the principal botanists of his time, and discovered several new plants in Ireland; among others the Rosa hibérnica, and Orobánche rùbra. The dimensions of some of the more remarkable trees and shrubs at Cranmore have been kindly sent to us by Mrs. Templeton. Among these are, a sweet chestnut, 60 ft. high, with a trunk 15 ft. in circumference at one foot from the ground (the tree from which the place takes its name); Pinus Cémbra, 24 ft. high; Pinus Banksiana, 17 ft. high; Pinus Mugho, 11 ft. high; and Abies canadénsis, 16 ft. high. There are, an Acer rubrum, 30 ft. high; a liquidambar, 15 ft. high; a Swedish juniper, 18 ft. high; and a Ptèlea trifoliata, 26 ft. high. The first Rhododendron máximum introduced into Ireland is supposed to have been one planted here, which attained a very great size, but died about three years ago. There is one still existing, which is 9 ft. high, and the circumference of the space covered by its branches is 37 ft.

In the History of the County of Down, published in 1745 (p. 60.), speaking of Bangor, the author says, "the gardens are filled with noble evergreens of a great size, cut in various shapes, among which is an evergreen oak, which, though it grows as a shrub in most other places, is here a tall tree, and of considerable girth." At the same place there is now (1835) a very large mulberry tree, which is very uncommon in Ireland. There was also one about the same size at Castle Ward.. At Spring Vale, in the same county, is a very large cork tree, which is now in a state of decay.

At Castle Ward, the seat of Viscount Bangor, is a flowering ash (O'rnus europaea), 30 ft, high, and 6 ft. 4 in. in girt at 7 ft. from the ground; it flowers frequently, but not every year. There are, also, an evergreen oak, with a trunk 9 ft. 6 in. in girt at 2 ft. from the ground, and 8 ft. 4 in. at 10 ft. from the ground; an arbutus, 5 ft. in girt at 2 ft. from the ground; and a pinaster, 60 ft. high, and 8 ft. 10 in. in circumference at 6 ft. from the ground: these trees are all close to a small bay or arm of the sea. There are, also, a silver fir, 66 ft. high, 8 ft. 5 in. in girt, which it carries up to 30 ft.; a cedar of Lebanon,

50 ft. high, 5 ft. 3 in. in girt at 8 ft. from the ground; and a sweet chestnut, 10 ft. 3 in. in girt at 3 ft. from the ground. There is a myrtle hedge here at least 120 years old, which grows vigorously. The shrubberies and ornamental planting at Castle Ward were made by Mrs. Ward, the wife of Judge Ward, between 1710 and 1759; and some before that period, as there were some tulip trees of large size cut down some years ago, supposed to be 120 years old. J. M. R.

To Mr. Carrol, gardener at Cypress Grove, we are indebted for the measurements of several trees at Howth Castle, near Dublin, the seat of the Earl of Howth. It appears that some foreign trees were planted here even in the 16th century, and particularly an Ulmus campéstris, which is estimated to be 250 years old. It is only 50 ft. high, but the diameter of the trunk, at 1 ft. from the ground, is 4 ft. 6 in. There is a walnut tree here, considered to be 200 years planted; a Támarix gállica, 100 years; and a tulip tree, 60 years. The tamarisk has a stem 1 ft. 10 in. in diameter at 1 ft. from the ground; it is 20 ft. high, and the diameter of the space covered by its branches is 22 ft. We should suppose it must be the finest specimen of this shrub in existence. The common myrtle stands the open air at Howth, protected by a wall; there is a specimen which has been planted thirty years, which has attained a stem 4 in. in diameter at 1 ft. from the ground.

At Charleville Forest, in King's County, a place where we had the pleasure of staying two or three days in 1811, when consulted professionally by the Earl of Charleville, there is a common lime, supposed to have been planted about seventy years, which is now (1835) 110 ft. high; an Acer platanoides, which at 60 years is 68 ft. high; a Pàvia rùbra, 76 ft. high; a common holly, 45 ft. high; a Robínia Pseùd-Acàcia, 50 ft. high; a Crataegus Azarolus, 40 ft. high; an Ulmus campéstris, 85 ft. high; a Pópulus álba, 120 ft. high; a Quércus pedunculata, planted 60 years, which is 110 ft. high; a Fagus sylvatica of the same age and height; a sweet chestnut, 45 years planted, which has attained the height of 85 ft.; a yew tree, 45 years planted, which has attained the height of 50 ft.; an arbor vitæ, planted 25 years, and 20 ft. high; and a Làrix microcarpa, 45 years planted, and 94 ft. high. On the whole, there is an excellent collection of trees at Charleville, and they appear to have made extraordinary progress.

At Shelton Abbey, the Earl of Wicklow's, in the county of Wicklow, there are a few remarkably fine specimens of foreign trees and shrubs. A tulip tree, 50 years planted, is 60 ft. high, flowering beautifully every year; a Robinia Pseùd-Acàcia, of the same age, is 65 ft. high, with a trunk 24 ft. in diameter at 1 ft. from the ground; a Portugal laurel, 40 years planted, is 35 ft. high, has a stem 24 ft. in diameter at 1 ft. from the ground,

and the diameter of the space covered by its branches is 39 ft.; a common laurel, 90 years planted, is 45 ft. high, the diameter of its trunk, at 1 ft. from the ground, is 6 ft. [probably from the number of diverging branches proceeding direct from the crown of the root], and the diameter of the space its branches cover is 101 ft. A Laúrus nóbilis, 16 years planted, is 34 ft. high, and the diameter of the space covered by its branches is 25 ft.; Cupressus sempervirens, 50 years planted, is 59 ft. high.

At Castle Freke, in the county of Cork, the seat of Lord Carberry, there appear to be some fine specimens. Rhododéndron pónticum is 8 ft. high, and the branches cover a space 76 ft. in circumference; the Quércus Ilex, 26 years planted, 36 ft. high; the Lucombe oak, of the same age, 39 ft. high; and the sweet chestnut, 44 ft. high; Aristotèlia Mácqui, on light soil over gravel, forms a handsome tree, 26 ft. high, with a trunk 8 in. in diameter at 1 ft. from the ground.

At Florence Court, the residence of the Earl of Enniskillen, there is a good collection of trees, the dimensions of many of which have been sent us by the gardener there, Mr. Young. The tulip tree, at 38 years' growth, is 35 ft. high; Acer montanum, at 38 years' growth, 50 ft. high; the Portugal laurel, at 40 years' growth, is 32 ft. high, and its branches cover a space 22 ft. in diameter; Córnus flórida, 38 years planted, is 16 ft. high, and the branches cover a space of 20 ft. in diameter; Sambucus nigra, at 40 years of age, is 50 ft. high; the walnut, at 50 years of age, is 40 ft. high; and the Canadian poplar, at 30 years' growth, 70 ft. high; the scarlet oak, 40 years planted, is 70 ft. high; and different varieties of Quércus Cérris, all planted 38 years, are also 70 ft. high; the common yew, at 80 years of age, is 30 ft. high, and its branches cover a space of 30 ft. in diameter; and the Irish yew, sometimes called the Florence Court yew, the original plant being still in existence in the grounds, has attained the height of 26 ft.

At Killrudery House, in the county of Wicklow, the seat of the Earl of Meath, are some remarkably fine evergreen oaks. One of these, by no means larger than the rest, measured for us by Mr. Niven in February, 1835, was 60 ft. high, with a trunk 11 ft. in circumference at 1 ft. from the ground.

The oldest cedars of Lebanon in Ireland are said to be at Mount Anville Hill, the seat of Counsellor West, K.C. These cedars, we are informed, were brought direct from Mount Lebanon, by an ancestor of Lord Tremblestown. We have tried in vain to get their dimensions, for which reason we suspect they are not very remarkable. The finest, we believe, are at Castletown, Kildare, the seat of Edward Conolly, Esq., M.P. One of these, Colonel Conolly informs us, is 13 ft. in girt at 1 ft. from the ground, and has a clear stem of 30 ft.

The largest old oak tree in Ireland, Sir Robert Bateson informs us, is at his residence, Belvoir Park, near Belfast. It measures about 28 ft. in girt at 6 ft. from the ground; but it is split, and much damaged. It is supposed to be between two and three centuries old. It grows about 50 yards from the banks of the river Lagan, in rather moist soil.

At Hillsborough, the seat of the Marquess of Downshire, in Lady Downshire's garden, a tulip tree carries up the girt of 4 ft. 6 in. to the height of 8 ft., when it branches off. It flowers abundantly, and has flowered for many years past. Close to this tree is a Magnòlia acuminata 25 ft. high, and 4 ft. 4 in. in girt at 2 ft. from the ground, where it branches; it does not flower every year, but in hot summers very abundantly. There is, also, a cedar 8 ft. 8 in. in circumference at 3 ft. from the ground, where it begins to branch. It is not tall, and is quite flat at the top. There are several other forest trees, and some shrubs of about the same age, or perhaps older, in the grounds, particularly some very fine evergreen oaks.-J. M. R.

No Dr. Walker has yet arisen in Ireland to determine the dates of the introduction of particular species, and all that we have been able to do, therefore, is to place before our readers the foregoing statements. From these it appears that more had been done in Ireland in the way of introducing foreign trees and shrubs, previously to the middle of the 18th century, than is generally imagined; that a good deal has been done since; and that there is every encouragement to proceed, from the extraordinary rapidity of the growth of the trees that have been planted. There are also the greatest inducements, in point of climate, as will appear in our succeeding subsection, when we give a list of what are green-house trees and shrubs in England, but which stand the open air in Ireland.

Nurseries were probably established in Ireland about the time when it became fashionable to plant trees. The oldest we know of is that of Toole and Co. at Cullenswood near Dublin, and at Shank Hill near Bray. In both gardens are some very fine specimens of foreign trees and shrubs. At Cullenswood, Magnolia grandiflòra has attained the height of 17 ft. in 20 years, and M. Thompsoniana, 15 ft. in 6 years; Arbutus Andráchne, and A. hýbrida, 19 ft. in 27 years; O'lea excélsa, as a standard, 17 ft. in 27 years; Pittosporum Tobira, as a standard, 10 ft. in 20 years; Yucca gloriosa, 8 ft. in 30 years, with a stem a foot in diameter; Aràlia spinòsa, 20 ft. in 20 years; Eriobótrya japónica, 20 ft. in 20 years; Pỳrus [Sórbus] nipalénsis, 16 ft. in 7 years; Laúrus nóbilis, 25 ft. in 35 years; and Pæònia Moútan, 8 ft. in 20 years. In the Shank Hill Nursery there is an Arbutus Andráchne, 20 ft. high, with a head covering a space 30 yards in circumference, 30 years old.