On May 8, 5:40 am, Billy wrote:
In article ,
(Way Back Jack) wrote:

TV documentaries and travelogues reveal a lot of lush "green" in those
countrysides but a relative scarcity of trees. Is it climate? Too
windy in Ireland? Sheep and/or other livestock?

Long story short, the British built ships with which to conquer
and colonize the world.
--

Billyhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KVTfcAyYGg&ref=patrick.nethttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0aEo59c7zU&feature=related

For some reason or other, I had been invited to a high level meeting
of a planned economy country dealing with timber products. I had had
some previous run in with Minister regarding the load of whiskey in my
office and had refused to use it. On the way in the door the Minister
asked me how I liked my whiskey.

"I'll take it neat"

For some reason I was placed at the head of the large boardroom table
with the Minister at the other. Someone next to me poured a large
measure into my glass so I quaffed it down, put my elbows on the table
in the manner of - right, now, let's get down to business. I know it
now, but did not then, that the culture was; that if the glass was
empty, it had to be refilled; but I quaffed that down as well. After
some time I realised that people had stopped talking in English and
instead used various other languages, which I didn't understand. I
started talking Gaelic, but all that could come out of my roundabout
brain was an old Irish poem 'What are we going to do when all the wood
is gone?...'

To my amazement, the Minister translated the poem into English - there
were English bankers at the meeting, and he gave the same explanation
for the removal of trees as your good self. When I looked at my glass
again, it was full to the brim. I can't explain it but it happened.

I have been experimenting with trees for fuel for about fifteen years
and, for the record; Eucl. Viminalis wins by a mile.


Donal