Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-18
as it is sometimes called They lit up the
atmosphere as the burning bush of Moses
might have done.
Little Of the Ground Cultivated,

atmosphere as the burning bush of Moses
might have done.
Little Of the Ground Cultivated.
Very little of the ground is cultivated.
Only here and there is field of potatoes
ana cabbages. but the pastures are filled
with f1ne-looking cattle and sheep, for
this is the grazing district of Ireland
from whence. her famous dairy products
and the best beef and mutton come.
Beyond Portalington we got our first
glimpses Of the bogs of which we are
told one sixth of the surface of Ireland is
covered, an area of not less than 2.SOO0OO
due to the depravity of the natives who
are too lazy to drain them and have al
lowed the good land to run to waste and
become covered with water and rotten
vegetation, but this theory was effectively
disposed Of by science long ago Every
body should know that the bogs of Ire
land are not only due to the natural
growth OF spongy moss called sphag-
mum. but are the source of the fuel sup
ply of the people and have a value much
greater than that of the drier and higher
land. ! was reading the other day the
report of hogs commission" in which
true gold mines of Ireland and estimated
as Infinitely more valuable than an in
metal"
IL lie report Tolef TO asserts tTdC the
average Irish bog will produce 1921 tons
OF peat per acre, which is equivalent. to
1923 tons of coal, thus making the total
supply OF peat equivalent to D. 1O4 .OOOOo
tons of coal. capable of producing 100000
horsepower of energy daily for manu-
featuring purposes for period of about
$50 years. With coal selling at 81 ton
in Ireland today this makes the bogs of
Ireland worth about $4,000, 100000. The
bog trotter'' is an individual to be culti
deDOS1tS
United States are exhausted. we may
have to send over and buy some of his
peat for fuel.
It Is proposed to utilize these deposits
ing power houses at the peat beds and
furnishing electricity over wires to the
neighboring towns and cities for light
ing. power and other purposes 'for any
body having work to do from curling
ladys hair to running tramways and
driving machinery"
The writer refers to recent installation
of electric works in Mysore. India. for
working gold fields ninety miles distant.
and quotes the late Lord Kelvins opinion
that the city of New York will soon be
getting its power from Niagara, 400 miles
away.
and piling it up like damp bricks to
dry in the sun. Freshly dug peat con-
tains about 80 per cent of moisture. but
when cured the ratio is reduced to 10
or ~ per cent.
A Chain of Low Mountains.
Beyond the peat beds rose chain of
low mountains with a curious profile that
ran west of the town of Templemore.
Like every other freak of nature in Ire
land. they are the scenes of many in
teresting legends. The highest peak is
called The DEVILS Bite" and the queer
shape is accounted for by the fact that
the Prince of Darkness, in fit of hun
ger and fatigue, once took bite out of
the mount aims. and. not finding 1t to
his taste. spat it out again some miles
to the eastward, where it is now famous
as the Rock of Cashel
A little beyond Templemore, at Bally-
brophy Junction, a branch of the main
line of the railway leads to the town of
Birr, which is famous as the seat of
the Earl Of Rose. whose father erected
an observatory there many years ago,
with one of the largest and finest tele
scopes in the world. It is twenty seven
feet long. with lens three feet in di-
ameter. Some OF the most important
been made there. and Birr has been the
object of pilgrimages for scientific men
for more than half a century.
The old Birr castle has been much en-
larged and modernized by the present
earl. and Is surrounded by an estate of
ZOO acres. upon which is one of the
best built >and best kept towns in Ire
land. The present earl is scholar and
scientist of reputation, president Of the
Royal Irish Academy and the Royal Dub
lin Society. and is interested in many
important manufactures and enterprises.
He was especially active in developing
the steam turbine.
Associated With Exciting History.
All of this section Of Ireland is associ-
ated with exciting history. It has been
fought over time and again by the clans
and factions that have struggled to rule
the state. Every town and every castle
has its exciting and romantic history.
Almost every stump is associated with
legend or an important event. The woods
and the hills are still peopled with fairies.
and local traditions among the humble
folks are the themes of fascinating tales
and songs. But the natives one sees at
the railway stations do not look at all
romantic A sentimental person will be
compelled to endure many severe shocks
when he comes into contact with the
present generation of Irish peasants. OF
course we have seen very few of them
thus far-only those who were standing
around the stations and our fellow-pas-
sengers upon the train. but the men are
all so uncouth and the women are so I'M
tidy in comparison with the peasantry Of
other countries that one feels resent
ment toward them. In other countries
the peasantry have a distinctive dress,
DuI mere III 1EclduU everybody SccUuS u
be wearing the cast-off garments of some
other person of very poor taste.
AS the train approaches Dublin through
County Kildare we could see an extensive
military camp. and on either side horses
and colts grazing in the luxurious grass
for this is the best stock-raising district
Of Ireland. and some of its famous racing
stock has been bred and trained here. A
cordial fellow-passenger pointed out to us
where Richard Cookers stock farm lies,
near the town. of Bray under the shelter
of a range of high hills a few miles south
of Dublin. He advised us to visit him.
because, he said. ''Wantage Is a very in
teresting place and Mr.. Croker is a very
good-natured and hospitable gentleman.
ROCKVILLE AND VICINITY.
d..>,~1 o~S Doroouo1 No~ro 80 N6onk