Ireland, like all other countries, formerly abounded in forests. According to Boate, on the authority of Geraldus Cambrensis, who came into Ireland on its first conquest, in company with Henry II , this country was full of woods on every side ; but the English, on gaining possession of it, cut them down, partly in order to deprive the banditti of their lurking places, and partly to gain the greater scope of profitable lands. Another cause operated, which ope rates in all countries—the desire to obtain wood for fuel. Forests, however, were still numerous in those parts, especially, over which the English had not acquired a per fect and tranquil power; but after the quelling of the great rebellion in the time of Elizabeth, the forests were still more reduced in extent and number. The same mo tives which operated with the conquerors on their first in vasion, operated now. Besides, the prospect of gain for the sale of the timber was a further inducement. Immense ship loads were sent to foreign parts ; and whereas, before this period, there was not a single charcoal manufactory, on the subduing of the rebellion, a great number on a very extensive scale were erected.
All these causes, however, though operating probably with a progressive effect, had not denuded Ireland entirely of forests in the middle of the 17th century, the period when Boate published his Natural History of that country. He complains, indeed, that great part of Ireland was very bare of woods in his time; and that, in some places, you may travel whole days long without seeing any wood or trees, except a few about gentlemen's houses ; and par ticularly instances the route from Dublin, as far as Dro more, by Dundalk and Newry, being above 60 miles, in some pal is whereof you shall not see so much as one tree in man.; miles; and adds that the " great woods, which the maps do represent to us upon the mountains between Dundalk and Newry, are quite vanished." Notwithstand ing these complaints, there were, in the time of this author, large forests, which no longer exist. In Lcinster he states. that the counties of Wicklow, and King and Queen's Counties, were throughout full of woods, some many miles long and broad ; and that part of the counties of Wexford and Carlow were greatly furnished with them. In Ulster, there were, in his time, great forests in the county of Donegal, and in the north part of Tyrone ; like wise in Fermanagh, along Lake Erne, in Antrim, and in the north part of Dawn. The greatest part of the latter county, however, as well as Armagh, Monaghan, and Cavan, which, in the war with Tyrone, were encumbered with great and thick forests, were, in the time of Dr. Boate, almost everywhere bare. With respect to Munster, he represents the counties of Kerry and Tipperary as pos sessing sundry great forests, notwithstanding the English, especially the Earl of Cork, had made great havoc with the woods. In Connaught he states, that there were very
few forests, except in the counties of Mayo and Sligo.
Such was the state of Ireland with regard to forests, during the middle of the 17th century ; but it is much changed at present, for in Donegal and some other of the counties, represented, by Boate, as possessing extensive forests in his time, then e are now none. Wood is more general in the county of Fermanagh than in any other county of Ireland. Oak abounds throughout the glens of Wicklow, and upon the mountains of Killarney, but it is of inconsiderable size ; and in other parts of the country is by no means common. Ash is confined principal') to Fer managh, and in some parts of Tyrone and Cavan. As proofs of the denuded state of parts of Ireland with respect to wood, it may lie mentioned, that in toe county of Clare there are only 780 acres of wood, or rather of plantation ; and that in Kilkeeny there are only 1800 acres.
The fertility of every country depends mainly upon its soil and climate. The soil of Ireland, we have seen to be, in general, of a very fertile quality, but at the same time, in most places very shallow, and resting upon a rocky substratum. Such a soil, in a dry climate, could not lie very productile ; but, fortunately for Ireland, het climate is moat admirably adapted to her soil. The situation of this country, which, on all sides except the eastern, lies quite open to the Atlantic, in connection with the circtao• stance, that westerly, and especially south-westerly, winds prevail more in this country, even than on the opposite coast of England, renders Its atmosphere extremely cloud.
ed and moist. These winds, generally speaking, may be said to blow three-fourths of the year ; and as they blow often with considerable violence, this circumstance, and the dryness of the soil, prevent the excessive moisture of the climate from being unhealthy. The same causes which render the climate of Ireland more moist than that of Britain, and the winds from the west and south-west more prevalent, render also the climate more uncertain, and the seasons more irregular ; generally speaking, however. showers are very frequent, especially in the winter season. In this season, also, the south-west and south winds prevail more than in the other seasons of the year ; in summer and autumn, the west prevail ; in spring, the east, south east, north-east, and north. Storms are more frequent in autumn and winter than in spring and summer ; the months most liable to /hem are, November, December, January, and February.