120 Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. [Feb. 2, 1920. 



1917) followed next, the article being the outcome of some experiments 

 conducted by Mr. H. J. Kelly and myself at Nyngan, extending over some 

 years, to ascertain to what extent '" spineless " pears developed sjjines in 

 dry areas. (The experiments should be continued in other localities, and 

 in their connection I shall always be glad to be of help.) 



Realising that there must be a standard collection of Opuntias in Australia, 

 I formed such a one in the Botanic Gardens, Sydney, based on those I found 

 under cultivation in 1896, to which I added (o) any others from Australian 

 Botanic Gardens; (6) those naturalised in Australia; (c) critical forms (1) 

 from Dr. Griffiths, of the U.S. Department of Agriculture ; (2) from the late 

 Sir Thomas Hanbury, of " La Mortola," Ventimiglia, Italy; (3) from various 

 non- Australian Botanic Gardens; (4) from dealers in cacti. The Opuntia 

 collection in the Sydney Botanic Gardens, in spite of the hasty removal of 

 a portion of it because of the City Railway, is probably without a rival south 

 of the equator. Mr. J. L. Boorman, collector. Botanic Gardens, has been 

 the faithful custodian of this Opuntia collection. We have tested the hardi- 

 ness of various species, have proved that plants received under very many- 

 names were strict duplicates, and so destroyed them, have made notes on 

 their spinv cjualities, and have tested their value as dessert fruits. This 

 collection has supj^lied the material for hundreds of beautiful coloured 

 drawings, by Miss Flockton of the Botanic Gardens, and these refer to 

 numbered plants, have been strictly dated, have been compared with each 

 other, and are records for all time. Occasionally I have been visited by a 

 man from pear country, who has demanded instant destruction of the whole 

 of the accursed plants, but I have assured him that I have never heard of a 

 pear getting loose from the Botanic Gardens for over fifty years, and that 

 they do not spread much in the Sydney district, the climate being unfavour- 

 able. I have also pointed out that prickly pears must be studied in the 

 Sydney Botanic Gardens, where there is a botanical staff, a rich collection 

 of other plants for comparison, and a valuable botanical library. 



I believe it to be of public interest to hint what one Australian establish- 

 ment has done in regard to prickly pear investigation. We at least have 

 not ignored the subject. 



(To be continued.) 



A Nurse Crop with Lucerne. 



Having tried sowing lucerne with a nurse crop and without, Mr. J. I. Renshaw, 

 of Binnaway, is now convinced that the cover crop is not desirable in seasons 

 such as that just experienced. 



Only 20 lb. of wheat was sown with 10 lb. of lucerne by Mr. Renshaw, but 

 where lucerne was sown by itself the stand is nice and strong, and a])parently 

 twice as thick as on the portion sown with wheat.— B. C. Meek, Assistant 

 Inspector of Agriculture. 



