THE CLIMATE OF IRELAND.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR:1 SIR,—On reading the very interesting address of the Presi- dent at the meeting of the British Association on the great ice age, it appears strange to an ignorant outsider how little notice is taken by geologists of the comparatively late era of a warm climate here, of which proof is easily shown by the former vegetation of the peat bogs. In the Irish bogs before . the peat was. formed the land was covered with trees similar to those of the present day, oak, birch, hazel all growing on the clay; and possibly fro% a cimnge Qf clime these fell 914
the peat began to grow. When that peat covered the original forest to a depth of some six feet or more, a new forest sprang up of pines, which grew to very large trees —often three or four feet in diameter—and on a swamp where nothing but heather can now exist these pines have all fallen to the east, showing the prevailing winds were the same as the present day. They are often growing over the top of fallen trees, same as seen to-day in tropical forests. When they fell the growth of the peat began again, and now covers that forest to a depth of six feet or more. When my men were cutting peats for fuel they found at the level of the old pine forest the remains of what had been the residence of the man of that age. A circular row of stumps and the stone axe that cut them must have been sharp, as the sloping cut shows few blows. That the climate was very different from the present is evident, as I find on that peat I cannot grow trees much bigger than walking-sticks, though the ground has been thoroughly drained.—I am, Sir, &c.,
Boa TROTTER.
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