The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1873-12-06
Ireland.
Joseph Medill in the Chicago Tribunc.l

The streams are everywhere bright and
clear. and generally swift running. For so
small a territory, there are remarkably large
rivers and lakes. With the exception Of
one or two in Switzerland, there arc larger
lakes in Ireland than can be found else
where in Europe. The Shannon is a larger
river than any in Great Britain. and navi-
gable for longer distance. The harEors
are among the finest in the world. The
climate is remarkably temperate and cqua-
bic. Many plants which can only flourish
in lighthouses in England, flourish in the
open air in Ireland; while the great mois-
turc which prevails is SO favorable to vege-
tation that the country is carpeted in almost
perpetual green. This verlure extends to
the mountain tops where there is particle
Of earth, and on the sea-shOres right down
to where the ocean-breakers dash against
the rocks.
From what had heard before visiting Ire
land, supposed it was nearly a treeless
country. But such is not the case. Every
rod square, almost, which is unfit for culti-
walton, is covered with trees. Trees abound
on the mountains and on the steep hillsides,
and along many of the roads and lanes;
and they may be seen everywhere standing
singly or in clunps. Where one tree is
seen in Illinois from tho windows Of the
train, fifty may be seen in Ireland.
The hedge-rows add greatly to the beauty
Of the landscape. The foliage Of the thorn
is very dark green, and those live fences
can bc distinguished for long distances,
subdividing the face Of the country into
squares like those on a chess board.
As general rule, the fields in Ireland are
mere patches, to the eye Of an American.
More than half the island is fenced off into
fields Of to 8 acres, and it is seldom that
field of 80 acres is seen. The way fence
is made is AZ follows: An embankment is
thrown up or feet high from the earth,
from ditch ON either side thereof. On this
embankment is planted nursery-thorns, or
the thorn-berries, and in short time there
live fence that will last for generations,
and turn anything, whether man or beast.
For most Of the year, the ground is SO sat
urated with water that these fence-ditches
are needed to drain the fields and carry off
the surplus rainfall. On the heavy clay
soils, bitches can hardly be too numerous;
and this is an argument in favor Of small
fields. On the stony lands, the fences arc
constructed Of stone, and there are thous-
ands Of miles Of such fences in Ireland;
but the thorn-hedge predominates.
While the climate is damp, and the ocean
winds raw and disagreeable for most Of the
year, yet the country is remarkably healthy.
The bills Of mortality are as low a. any
country in the world. In 1872 the deaths
were only Is to the 1000, while the births
were 81 to the 1000 inhabitants. This
would indicate about 1S3, 600 births against
81, ,OOO deaths. It is this extraordinary sa-
lubrity and fecundity that enables the little
island to send forth such prodigious swarms
Of emigrants without being depopulated. I
picked up . Belfast paper one day, and,
glancing at the obituary notices, counted
upward Of thirty deaths where the deceased
had each reached beyond the age Of three
score and ten, and several had passed 80,
and two 30. The proportion Of gray-l,aired
men and women met with in Ireland il very
remarkable; but the reason Is, that the
young men and women 60 beyond the seas
by tens " Thousands annually. The gen.
ersl poverty q the country, and the Difficult
u of obtaining Subsistence, force them to
leaye land which they passiouately adore.