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THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [January i, 1886, 



I sowed it at ouce. The following year (1880) it was 

 plauted at Oraigyard, Lamlash. It is already I83 feet 

 iu height, and IJ inches in girth, and probably will 

 one day be the tallest tree of any kind iu Scotland, 

 and probably iu Britain. It is so hardy that not 

 even a leaf was browued in the severe winter of 

 1880-Sl. Its leaves are very large, approaching the 

 size of those of the Blue Gum. Tliey are covered 

 with a whitish bloom. It is called the White Gum 

 because of the whiteness of the trunk after the 

 annual aheddiug of the baik. It is a n:'*We of Tas- 

 mania, and its white trunks give a pecu.iar cbaracter 

 to the forests of that grea', island. Plants of it grow 

 also at Brodijk and Oorrie. 



5. The Alpine Gum (E. alpina). — This tree is a 

 very interesting and important addition to the forestry 

 of Arrau, as it i-i altogether diverse iu habit from any 

 of the Gums formerly introduced. lis leaf is large, 

 thick, and remarkably broad, 9 inches by 4i. It is 

 specially illustrative of that feature in the trees of 

 Australia which enables them to expose themselves 

 edgeways, instead of horizontally, to the sun, for the 

 development of one side of the leaf is almost twice 

 that of the other, and thus the superior weight of 

 the one side causes it to hang down, and to make 

 the opposite side stand erect. The habit of the tree 

 also corresponds to the shape of the leaf, beiug broad 

 and close. This tree also illustrates the well-known 

 fact thut some alpine plants grow well in tlie vicinity 

 of the sea. This tree, which, as its name denotes, 

 is a native of the alpine regions of Australia, is at 

 Oorrie Hotel, Arrau, growing in fullest lu-^iuriauce 

 within 35 yards of the sea, at high water. It was 

 planted last year, and is now .3§ feet in height. I 

 send a leaf. 



a. The Cider Gum or Mountain White Gum (E. 

 Gunnii). — The leaves of this Gum are small, of a 

 light green colour, and are highly odoriferous. It is 

 very hardy, anil grows in the open air at Kew. A 

 plant G feet 5 inches in height grows at Oraigyard, 

 Lamlash; a smaller one at the Free Olmrch Manse, 

 W hitingbay. It receives the name Older Gum from 

 the liquid that Hows from it when the hark is pierced. 



7. The Urn-bearing Gum (E. uiriigera). — Tbe 

 leaves of this species are of medium size and of a 

 dark green colour. It grows at Strabane, Brodick, and 

 is very hardy. It receives its name from the shape 

 of the vessel containing its seed. 



8 The Ooccus-beariug Gum (E coccitera).— This 

 differs from most of the Gums in the lea\«8 being 

 leathery, even when the plant is very young. They 

 are siflall and of a dark bluish colour, and look as 

 if covered with bloom. This species is very hardy. 

 A tree of it grows at I'owderham Castle, Kenton, 

 Devonshire, more than CO feet in height and more 

 than a foot in diameter. A tree of wh.at I consider 

 this species, though the authorities at Kew have 

 pronounced it to be E. amygdaliua, grows at Oastle 

 Kennedy, Wigtonshire. It grows at several places in 

 Arran. 



In addition to the above mentioned Gums already 

 ill Arran, through the kindness of friends allowing 

 me to plant them in their gardens, I may mention 

 that I have specimens of the FIg-leavcd Gum (E. 

 ficifolia), from Broken Inlet, AVestern Australia, the 

 leaves of which, as its name denotes, resemble those 

 of a species of Fig. It is also remarkable for dowering 

 when comparatively young, a'ld from the tlowers 

 being of a crimson colour ; I have also a iihmt of the 

 crimson-flowered Irou-I!ark (E. leucoxylon var. eoccmea). 

 whose tlowers are magenta-eiiinsoii in colour. Its 

 leaves are small and narrow, and the branches sleiuler, 

 so that it much resembles a Baijylonian Willow. lis 

 wood is said to excel that of all other trees in hard- 

 ness, I have also the red Iron-Bark i. E. siderophlia, 

 the bark of which, as its name tells, i.s almost iron- 

 like iu hardeess. Its leaves much resemble these of 

 the Tuikey Uak, the veiris ar;: red, on accouut of 

 whicii it is named the red Iron-Bark. 



Tills sumn:er I have further, through Willlatu 

 Stewart. Esq.. been favoured by receiving from Sir 

 r. Mueller, Government Botanist, Victoria, seeds of 



E. conifera — these have just germinated; also of E. 

 pauciflora, the 'White Gum already mentioned, as grow- 

 ing so well in Arrau. I have also received a similar 

 favour from Mr. Bailey, Government Botanist, Queens- 

 land, who has sent the seeds of ' a rare and most 

 valuable Lemon-scented Iron-Bark' {E. staigeriana) from 

 the Palmer River, Queensland. It also has germinated 

 under the kind care of my friend Mr. Gray, gardener, 

 New5>'ld. 



I only add that plants of several of the most 

 hardy Gums, such as B. pauciflora, E. Gunnii, E, 

 urnigera, and E. coccifera, are now growing at vari- 

 ous places of the west coast of Scotluni — at Kuojk- 

 dolean aud Auehearue. near Balaiitrae ; at the Estab- 

 lished Mansi , Kosneath ; and at Balliuakill, Cantyre. — 

 Gardeners' Chronicle, 



RnsTON Tools.— The Farmer's Adeocate says there 

 are several easy ways to prevent rusting of ploughs 

 and cultivators, and to keep the teeth bright. One 

 is to give them a coat of thick limewash as soon as 

 they are brought iu from the field ; another is to 

 dissolve an ounce of rosin iu four ouuces of linseed 

 oil and while hot mix this with a quart of kerosene 

 aud stir well. This is laid on to smooth iron with 

 a paint bru.sh. Another way is to dissolve an ounce 

 of camphor in some turpentine aud add this to four 

 ounces of lard and one ounce of pulverized black- 

 lead or stove polish, and mix well. This mav be 

 rubbed on with a rag, I'o remove rust from ploughs 

 or tools nothing is better thau a mixture of a half 

 pint of oil of vitriol poured slowly into a quart of 

 water, and apply this to the rusted metal, ^\'ash 

 oft' with water. — Florida JJispatrh. 



Fire-Prooi- Paint fou Roofs.— A correspondent 

 of the N. Y. World, writes : — I send my receipt for 

 fire-proof paint, which I like for many reasons. .Slack 

 stone-lime by putting it into a tub, to be covered 

 to keep iu the steam. When slackeil pass the pow- 

 der through a fine sieve, and to (■ach six quarts of 

 it add one quart of rock salt and water one gallon ; 

 then boil aud skim clean. To each five gallons of 

 this add pulverizeil alum one pouud. pulverized 

 copperas one-half pouud and still slowly add pow- 

 dered potash, three-quarters of a pound ; then fine • 

 sand or hickory ashes, four pounds. Now add any 

 desired color and apply with a brush. In my opinion 

 this looks better thau paint and is as durable as 

 slate. It stops small le:iks iu roofs, prevents moss 

 and makes it incombustible. — Florida /Ji:ipatck. 



The Mango in Qukexsla.vd. — The present season 

 has proved to be a non-bearing one for the mango. 

 More particularly is this the case in the Northern 

 districts. Last year enormous crops were gathered ; 

 the trees beiug loaded to their utmost. It is evident 

 from this experience that the mango does not 

 differ from other fruits in requiring a year of rest 

 after one of great productiveness. The extraordinary 

 growth of these trees anywhere on the coast line of this 

 colony, their (iroductiveuess, aud freedom from disease 

 point to the fact that before long they will be the com- 

 mon fruit tree of Queensland. As the mango is a fruit 

 that can be exported to such distances as the southern 

 colonies aud New Zealand, and also cannot be grown to 

 perfection in those parts, there is no reason why a 

 profitable export trade should not spring up. The pecu- 

 liarity of the mango is that although almost everyone 

 dislikes it iipnn first t.isting the fruit, yet it dues not 

 take many trials before the singular flavour becomes 

 most fascinating to the palate ; therefore the sale for 

 them, when once the lartc mHrketsof the southern cities 

 Pie rt achi:d, will be very great. Selec'ors coiihl not do 

 bfjttei- than plitnt. Tbe t?ees grow readily from seed, 

 and as long as ilue care is taken to plant only g(>o<l seeds 

 from good mangoes they will come tolerably true to 

 variety. Otherwise, if the exact variety is desired to be 

 ro'dntained. then prafting en ■needling storks must be re- 

 si rted tn; nnd grafting id' the mango is difficult — iu 

 fact, itcauonly be done by iu-arcUiuj;. — Quftnslander. 



