No. 30.]

[Vol. 6.

ON IRISH TIMBER.

THE traveller who has had an opportunity of viewing the productions of nature in various regions, must be struck with the contrast be tween the wonderful luxuriance of Tropical vegetation, and that which takes place after passing the boundaries of the temperate zones. Adamn son found on the banks of the Senegal, several trees from 65 to 78 feet in circumference, and braving the tremendous convulsions of a thousand years; the great chesnut of Mount Etna, whose trunk of 204 feet in circumference, and ample shade, seems placed on the confines of ice and flame, in order to exhibit the various powers of nature. To these we may oppose the dwarf willow, with a stem of only two or three in ches the only woody species of plant hitherto discovered in the inhospitable regions of Spitzbergen.

In England a sweet chesnut has grown in Hertfordshire, to 42 feet in circumference, and another at Trotworth, in Glocestershire to 44 feet 4 inches. The Cowthrope oak, near Wetherby, Yorkshire, to 48 feet; Boddington oak, in the vale of Glocester, to 42 feet, and another at Broomfield Park, in the year 1764, measured 68 feet in girt.

And notwithstanding the many arguments which have been advaneed to the contrary, the following instances seem to prove satisfac

BELFAST MAG. NO. XXX.

producing large timber. In the year 1793, there was cut down on the estate of Wm. Hoey, esq. at Dunganstown, three chesnuts, one of which measured 16 feet 6 inches, another 15 feet, and a third 14 feet 3 inches in girt; the length of one was 24 feet, and the other 36. At Portmore Park, on the shore of Lough Neagh, in the county of Antrim, there was an oak growing within the memory of some persons yet alive, that may stand in comparison with the before-mentioned celebrated trees of England. The trunk of this tree was 12 feet girt, and 25 feet long to the first branch, one of the branches made into an Axletree for a bleach-mill, soid at 29. the remainder of the tops tearly built a lighter, called the Royal Oak, which carried 40 tous; this was sold for £30. oak timber at that time sold for 1s. 6d. per foot. Our correspondent informs us the timber brought £97. but the bark being sold with other bark of the park, what it brought is not exactly known. Were more instances necessary to prove that the climate of Ireland seems peculiarly favourable to the growth of large timber, it would be easy to produce them. Our country has been long famous for the solidity and strength of its oak; we need not therefore travel abroad for this useful tree, our own woods produce in the greatest abundance the best kind of seed; but

A

few people are aware that there are three kinds of oak, indigenous to the soil, and that the fame of Irish oak timber depends altogether on that of the best quality being the most common, the first and best, Quercus Robur, Mart Flo. Rust. t. 10. is characterized by the acorns, sitting on long stalks, and the leaves close to the branches; this is well known in the British dock-yards, and bears the highest price. The second, Quer cus sessiliflora Mart. Flo. Rust. t. 11. is the quickest growing tree, has coarse grained timber of little value, and is characterized by the acorns sitting close to the branches, and large leaves or stalks. The third Durmast Oak, Mart. Flo. Rusticat. 12. is a small crooked growing tree, a variety of the last; and reckoned on account of its small size and crooked timber of little value.

Let any one look at plantations made some years, and wherever the tress have met a soil suitable to their foors, he will find they have exceeded the expectations of the planter, and promise to give a good profit for the land and expenses; indeed it appears that the most powerful cause against the growth of large timber, is the desire for converting every tree into money, and if gentlemen would forego the present advantage, and not be so often persuaded to cut trees before they had attained their full size, a succeeding generation might have the pleasure of seeing our country adorned with as large trees as most others, Before a tree is doomed to fall, the owner should calculate whether it is improving, has attained its highest perfection, or is going to decay. The first is as plainly shown by abundance of large leaves, as good health by a vigorous pulse in the human subject, while small leaves with rotting extremities to the branches, as clearly indicate its decline, and

that it is only encumbring that ground on which a thriving progeny might arise. It has been determined that

great trees grow more timber in a year than small ones; for if a coat of one sixth of an inch is laid on all round, then the timber added to the body every year is its length multiplied by the thickness of the coat, and by the girth, and therefore the thicker the tree is, the more timber is added." " If profit be considered, a tree ought to be cut down and sold, when the annual increase in value by its growth, is less than the annual interest of the money it would sell for. This being admitted we have only to inquire into the annual increase in the value."

"Before I quit this subject, I must beg leave to take notice of another great evil which is of so much consequence to the public, as to deserve their utmost attention; which is that of cutting down the oaks in the spring of the year, at the time when the sap is flowing. This is done for the sake of the bark, which will then pecl easily off, and for the sake of this, I think there is a law, whereby people are obliged to cut down their timber at this season. But by so doing, the timber is not half so durable as that which is felled in the winter, so that those ships, which have been built of this spring cut timber, have decayed more in seven or eight years, than others which were built with timber cut in winter, have done in twenty or thirty. And this our neighbours the French have experienced, and therefore have wisely ordered that the bark should be taken off the trees standing, at the proper time, but the trees are left to the next, and sometimes until the second winter before they are cut down; and the timber of these are found to be more durable and better for use, than that

Its companion unbarked, weight 236lb, broke under 73851b.

For the Belfast Monthly Magazine.

Two others of the same dimensions supposed the best timber, the barked, weighing 2631b, bore, before it broke, 90+6lb. The unbark, ed piece, weighing 238lb. broke un der 7500lb.

The above trials are sufficient to show that wood stripped of its bark, and dried standing, is always heavier, and considerably stronger, than wood kept in its bark.

That the sacrifice of the timber for the sake of the bark is totally unnecessary is also proved by the experiments of both Mr. Biggin and Mr. Davy.

Comparative scale of barks, by G. Biggin, esq.

Tanning principle (in grains) from

half a pint of infusion.

Sumack...

Huntingdon or Leicester willow

Επι χοινίκι μη καθιζε.

Sit not upon a Bushel. THIS symbol, though rather more yet promises no great difficulty in retired than its predecessor, the investigation. In order to attain unknown-let us proceed to consider to this moral r, y-this thing yet that which is known. A bushel, then, is a vessel appointed for the measurement of certain goods, a purpose, from which in the establishment of the just economist it will not be diverted. In fact, the leading principle of a well regulated household is, that every thing be applied to its appropriate use, and to none other; where this useful prinexpect to find poverty the reigning ciple is violated, we may naturally

mistress.

...

...

...

158

109

Smooth Oak

Oak cut in Spring ...

108

104

Spanish Chesnut

98

Ash ...

82

Hazel

Poplar

Mountain Ash

Horse Chesnut

Oak cut in Winter

See Phil, Tran, for 1799, p. 263.

30.

ed sphere of a household, its application needs not to be limited there

to: it might be applied to the great family of a kingdom, and, if enforced, might, nay, must, be found profitable. To pursue this very interesting, this solemnly important part of the subject, might lead to the displeasure of those, who would certainly be offended, and as certainly not mended: let us therefore confine our attention to the probable and possible, and endeavour to produce some beneficial effects on the minds of those, whom we can influence, through the mean of common sense.

Within the circle of our own little world, we may see many gross violations of this precept. What can be more glaring, more productive of ridicule, than a case, which any one may imagine for himself, and which will not seem beyond probability;-that of a man, who, having become almost an amphibious animal by long service at sea, at length forsakes that service, and, having secured reputation for riding the waves, would fain extend it, and grasps at the fame of a rider of horses. Under this generous impulse, he mounts, and most courageously surveys the roads. Emboldened by success, he trots, and aiming still higher, -" he will be a soldier," a soldier on horseback, though not able to see beyond his horse's ears-a light horseman, though rather too fat to be a running footman!!

A character, like this, presented with all its absurdities collected into one view, may seem beyond reality: but the accurate observer of mankind will allow it to be pobable, a faithful sketch of what may be; and, if such characters are not more frequently noticed, the cause is, that the ridiculous is in general softened by a mixture of some valuable qualifications.

Of such a character, whether the

misapplication of talent has arisen from bad advice of others, or ignorance in himself, it may be fairly said, "The bushel has been sat u on." Such a misapplication however leads but to absurdity and consequently exposes a man merely to ridicule.

some

More serious consequences must result, when this misapplication of talent, and misdirection of the mind takes place in the important pursuits in life. The process is obvious, and unhappily, of too frequent occurrence. A child exhibits marks of sprightliness and docility: it is extolled by its parents and friends and is marked out for the lawn-sleeves, or the wool pack, When sent to school, he shows some quickness and application. to experienced persons, a slender ground, strengthens expectation, By this time he has become possess ed of a high opinion of his own qualifications: and can he entertain any 'doubt of them, when he has been so often informed of them by those most consuminate judges, hiş aunts, perhaps, or his grand-mama?

This,

In his course through the university, circumstances may place a moderate degree of fame within his reach, and contribute to build him up in the opinion of his own excellencies. One thing only is wanting to rivet the detusion for life, his commencing his career in the world among persons, whose studies have not lain in the same course with his, and whose judgments be conse

It is not meant here, that quickness and application are not promising symptoms in a boy: but that the degree of them which gives such hopes to fond parents and partial friends, and is so common among boys, does not warrant the very extravagant hopes it excites.