478 THE GARDENER. [Oct. 



tion of the chairman ami communicate with government, and also take 

 suitable steps to greet I)r Berggren on his arrival. 



Prospcriti/ of Otatjo. — Otago is at present enjoying a full tide of prosperity, 

 as is evident from the following statements of his honour the superintendent, 

 at the oi)ening of the Provincial Council, in which he says : "I am happy to 

 say generally that at no period since the commencL-ment of the settlement has 

 the Province been more pros[)erou3 than now. There is a life and a buoyancy 

 throughout every department of industry which has never been exceeded, and 

 at no time have commercial obligations been more regularly met. The de- 

 clared value of the imports during the past financial year has been £1,884,998, 

 while the import duty has amounted to £202,000, or equal to about one-third 

 of the customs revenue of the colony. The gold exported during the year has 

 been 109,212, as against 100,372 ounces during the previous year. The total 

 value of provincial produce exported inclusive of gold amounts to £2,279,003, 

 as against £1,190,000 for the year before. This is equal to £70 per head for 

 each statute adult in the province, an amount which, 1 venture to say, is un- 

 equalled in any other part of the world. " These statements of his honour are 

 borne out by those of others from the various districts of the province. A cor- 

 respondent in Riverton, says, "A general activity prevails in all building and 

 mechanical departments." Another says, "Some of the Taieri farmers have 

 raised their men's wages £10 per annum, such is the scarcity of suitable agri- 

 cultural labourers." The Lawrence paper says that "Labour has never been 

 so scarce in the country as at present. All districts unite to swell the great 

 cry now heard in the land for more labour. Every workman skilled or un- 

 skilled is fully employed, and an idle man, if to be seen, would be looked upon 

 as a phenomenon. Men for new works cannot be obtained for love, money, or 

 any other consideration." The North Otago Times says that in the Oamaru 

 district double-furrow ploughs are not uncommon. But it seems that we are not 

 to stop here, for on Tuesday last we saw a six-furrow plough at work on the 

 farm of Messrs Giflford & Clowes, Columella. It was drawn by twelve bullocks, 

 attended only by one man, keeping itself straight by its great grip of the 

 ground and the guide wheels. It was working in very hard ground, com- 

 pacted almost to the solidity of a road, having been heavily trampled by cattle 

 for years, and was notwithstanding making excellent work, quite as good as 

 could be done with a double-furrow. It breaks up four acres a-day for the 

 cost of one man's wages — the bullocks being content with the natural pasture 

 and a little oaten hay, while horses for like work require to be kept in condi- 

 tion by a liberal supply of oats. Then, again, there is a large saving in tear 

 and wear of harness and cost of shoeing ; indeed, it would seem that the plan 

 adopted by Messrs Gifford & Clowes is about the cheai)est that could be devised 

 for preparing the land for sowing. 



THE MANCHESTER INTERNATIONAL FRUIT SHOW. 



This meeting was looked forward to with high expectations. It has come and 

 gone, and Horticulturists have every reason to be satisfied with the result. The 

 Council of the Manchester Botanical Society framed a schedule of unprecedented 

 liberality. Exhibitors responded heartily, and under the able and unassuming 

 management of their excellent Curator, Mr Bruce Findlay, the arrangements 

 were carried out with the most complete success. The Society, the exhibitors. 



