794 Agricultural Gazette of N.S. IF. [0<?^. 2, 1908. 



"The fruit, wliicli wijcn lipe is bluckisli and icsciiibles a very small withered 

 ■wild cherry, is said not to become edible until the first frosts, and it hangs 

 on until the following spring. Tt is remarkably sweet, and is said to have 

 been the Lotus oi the ancients. Homer says it was so delicious as to make 

 those who ate it forget their native country. The berries ai'e still eaten in 

 Spain, and Dr. Walsh says the modern Greeks are very fond of theoi." 



" The wood of the branches is elastic; and supple. I ts compactness renders- 

 it susceptible of a high polish and when it is tut <)l)Iiquely across the fibres it 

 much resembles Satin Wood. It is used for furniture and car\ing, and its 

 branches are extensively employed in making hay forks, coach whips, ram- 

 rods, ami walking sticks, according to Loudon. [Treasury of Botanij.) 



Gamble also draws attention to the conspicuous pores on a vertical section^ 

 and says that in Southern France, where the wood is nmch esteemed for oars^ 

 tool handles, sticks and other purposes recjuiring toughness and elasticity, 

 this tree is cultivated in small closely-grown coppice-woods in order to meet 

 such requirements. Hei'e is a minor forestiy ijiflustry available to many 

 small farmers in New South Wales. Gamble says that in the Western 

 Himalaya it is often planted to be lopped for cattle fodder. On these 

 grounds alone the tree is worthy of extended trial in a cattle and horse- 

 oreeding country like New South Wales. 



2. C. occidetdalis, L. "The Blackberry or Sugarberry tree." 



Native of Central North America, from tlie Pacific to the Atlantic, extending 

 from Canada to Florida. Figured in Scirgents " Silva of North America," t. 31 7. 



The United States Department of Agriculture has puljlished a Forest 

 Planting Leaflet (Circular 75) dealing with this tree. 



It is usually characterised by a single stem with warty bark and a broad 

 conical crown. It is a tree of good size. In tlie Middle West it is exten- 

 sively planted for a shade tree, and it is recoinmended for adinixtui'e with 

 other species in wind-breaks. 



It should be an excellent tree for our table-lands. It is but shi-ubby at 

 Campbelltown, in our experience. 



Pinchot remarks that it will of course thrive better on a fertile soil than 

 on a poor one, but the ability to grow on almost sterile soils is one of its best 

 qualities. " It is characteristic of the tree to live and bear seed in situations 

 where almost any other tree would die. In the more humid regions it grows 

 on dry and sometimes almost barren soil, wlnle in the semi-arid plains it 

 thrives best along the watercourses. A limestone soil seems to be especially 

 favourable. It will not endure swampy soil." (Pinchot). 



It does not seem a specially valuable timber, but as a living tree for tree- 

 less country it seems to be specially indicated. 



HORACES. 

 The Mulberries {.\foru.s). 

 1. Morus alba, L. The " \\'hite Mulberry." The Mulberry usually 

 employed for silkworm culture. 



A native of temperate Asia. When wild or semi-wild the fruit is small and 

 rather dry, but under proper cultivation the tree yields several very good 

 varieties. 



