Notes on Eighteenth century Irish nurserymen.

Abstract

Planting in Ireland began in the eighteenth century. There was of course ornamental planting long before; the mention in old records of such species as elm, lime or chestnut which are not native shows that there was some and during the seventeenth century the occasional landlord inserted a clause in his leases binding the tenants to put in some trees, often in hedgerows. But planting as we understand it, the growing of trees alone on a number of acres as a crop as opposed to an amenity, began in the eighteenth century. It is true that the acreages involved were very small: towards the end of the century when the Dublin Society (the Royal Dublin Society after 1820) was paying premiums of £4 an acre to encourage planting the Largest amount claimed in anyone year was £132 on 33 acres and this was a very exceptional figure-practically all claims were for 10 acres. [...]