340 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ May 12, 1870. 



lake. Prominently amongat the group we noticed the Tea Plant of 

 commerce, but of rather stunted growth — the experimental area set 

 apart for this and similar vegetable productions is far too limited in 

 extent whereon to base any practical data as regards the much-disputed 

 theory of acclimatisation. There were also the Olive and Arrowroot, 

 as well as a collection of Castor Oil Plants, Tobacco, and several 

 varieties of Mulberry, the Guava, a group of UBefnl Grasses, different 

 kinds of Hops, the Chinese Tallow Tree, Loquats, the Sugar Beet, 

 the Opium Poppy, the Turpentine Tree, as well as the Ceratonia 

 ailiqua, or St. John's Bread, together with several other representative 

 plants of botanical value. 



Slowly ascending the rising hill clothed with its many Pine and 

 Araucaria specimens, we reached a small span-roofed conservatory, 

 •where a miscellaneous collection of tropical and sub-tropical rarities 

 adorn its circular shelves. Ferns of many species, and Cactuses in 

 great variety, can there be seen, as well as the usual display of 

 greenhouse and stove plants. In the oblong loamy bed we noticed the 

 Coffee from Arabia (Coffea arabica), which requires artificial pro- 

 tection in this colony, and the celebrated Banyan tree (Ficnsreligiosa) 

 — one single specimen in that sunny clime is said to extend over an 

 area of five acres or more, and beneath its leafy shade ten thousand 

 persons may find adequate shelter. The Hindoos are particularly 

 fond of such a tree, and well they may be; the Brahmins pass 

 much of their religious solitude under its outstretched armB, which 

 droop, take root, and form a series of columns after the manner of 

 a miniature forest. Festooned along the rafters, and hanging in 

 graceful bundles, were the racemes of the Passion-Flower, whose 

 glossy foliage considerably enhances its suitability for conservatory 

 decoration. There were also the Sugar-cane of commerce and Indian 

 Shot, many-tinted Begonias of beautiful foliage, as well as the 

 zebra-striped Calathea, and other variegated plantB. To those who 

 delight in out-of-the-way vegetable curiosities, the Elephant's Foot 

 will afford food for thought. It occupies a prominent place at one of 

 the doors, and is known to botanists by its high-sounding title of Testu- 

 dinaria elephantipes, being a native of the Cape of Good Hope. 



Immediately adjoining the conservatory is the class ground, where 

 all the natural orders, genera, and species, with the exception of some 

 representatives, are grouped together in a series of geometrical beds, 

 forming link after link in the ascending scale of regular progression. 

 To the scientific student, as well as the mere pleasure -seeker, this 

 portion of the gardens is not the least interesting and attractive. 



Separated from the class ground by an oblong Pittosporum hedge of 

 the species eugenioides from New Zealand, is the pomological or fruit- 

 tree department, all the trees in bearing condition and looking well, 

 whilst ranged along a considerable portion of the boundary fence are 

 a series of Tea-tree shelter-sheds filled with a varied assortment of 

 Pines, shrubs, and other useful decorative plants, all grown in small 

 pots to facilitate their distribution at the planting season, along with 

 other out-door nursery stock, which latter covers a very considerable 

 extent of the rising ground on the opposite hill adjoining the Victoria 

 regia or Water Lily house. Adjacent to the Director's mansion is to 

 be seen a small collection of medicinal plants, whilst further on we 

 noticed some Hollies and a plantation of Oaks planted amongst 

 fruit trees, all doing as well as might be expected of them, surrounded 

 as they are with native Wattles and robust Gum trees. Here various 

 avenues radiate. 



In a picturesque ravine leading down towards the aviary, and close 

 to one of the propagating pits, is a splendid collection of Tree Ferns, 

 interspersed among which we observed the beautiful Bird's-nest species 

 from Queensland f.Vsplenium nidus-avis), as well as the romantic 

 Stag's-horn, together with Orchids in full bloom, and climbing plants 

 hanging in graceful festoons from drooping boughs of trees and shrubs, 

 making np in all a very delightful and charming view, worthy of more 

 public attention. In passing the aviary, with its arched trelliswork 

 and romantic recess, including many of the more acclimatised choristers 

 of varied plumage, we were reminded of the rocky glens, as well as 

 open fields, with far-stretching hedgerows, and the patriarchal avenues 

 of the old country, where the carol of the lark at early morn mingled 

 •with the notes of the song thrush and blackbird, which there and then 

 heralded the dawn of day. It is indeed gratifying to know that these 

 choristers are now at large, and reported to be doing well in different 

 parts of the colony. Amongst some of the more noticeable plants 

 adjoining the aviary we noticed the Camphor Tree from Japan (Lauras 

 Camphora), the fragrant North American Magnolia grandinora, the 

 Indiarubber Tree, the sweet Viburnum odoratissimum from China, 

 the Date-Palm of commerce, as well as the Cape Strelitzia regime. 

 A fine Chilian Pine (Araucaria imbricata) may be seen growing at 

 one end of the rustic bridge, whilst further on the well-known Flame 

 Tree from New South Wales occupies a prominent place. Some of 

 the Pinus family are there beginning to assume quite an aged look. I 

 understand that they, together with the more attractive trees and 

 shrub3, were planted by the former curator, prior to Dr. Von Mueller's 

 *' advent to autocratic power." 



Ascending by winding walks and avenue plantations of Grevillea 

 robusta, Cypress, and Moreton Bay Fig, we reached the highest sum- 

 mit of the gardens, where, during the summer months, eweet music is 

 weekly discoursed from a neat octagonal orchestra to barge and 

 fashionable audiences. 



The large Palm house close by will well repay a careful inspection 

 of its miscellaneous contents. Large Plantains grow in the circular 



bed ; the famous Abyssinian Musa reaches np quite to the roof, which 

 would require a dome something similar to that at Kew to give full 

 scopo for ita beautiful leaves. We noted also the Chinese Rice Paper 

 plant, the Traveller's Tree from Madagascar, and unique Screw Pine. 

 Collections of Palms, Cactuses, fine-foliaged plants, and no end of 

 Ferns, adorn the oblong, crescent, and circular shelves A small 

 assortment of Roses are grouped in the vicinity of the Palm house, 

 together with a varied collection of Conifers of rather stunted growth, 

 which in no way can be looked upon as good representative specimens 

 of the Pine family. 



Near the centre of the gardens, at the entrance to one of the pro- 

 pagating houses, which latter is anything but a credit to the establish- 

 ment, there is a fine specimen of the Norfolk Island Pine, and a 

 little further on one of still greater merit rears its shaggy head on the 

 rising terrace — Araucaria Bidwilli, or Moreton Bay Bunya-Bnnya, 

 whose cones are roasted and eaten there with great zest by the 

 aborigines. 



Continuing our progress towards the eastern boundary fence, we 

 were much struck by the peculiar way in which the borders were 

 managed. The lack of florists' flowers iB much to be regretted, for 

 what could enliven the flowerless borders more than the acclimatisa- 

 tion of such popular favourites, grouped and harmonised together, as 

 carried out in Bimilar establishments throughout Great Britain, and 

 which also would finely contrast with the sombre and picturesque 

 effect of the many Pines, forest trees, and shrubs which at present 

 hold undisputed sway along the undulating borders. 



Having thus cursorily run over the principal features of the gardens, 

 we are landed once more on the banks of the Yarra, at the foot of the 

 long Pine-shaded walk, many of which trees are bearing cones, such 

 as P. halepensis, Pinaster, and Pinea. Here, also, the lake is taken 

 advantage of, and rendered very ornamental, with its numerous water- 

 channels and pretty island scenery ; whilst winding walks, raised 

 embankments, and Melaleuca plantations, together with groups of 

 Weeping Willows gently drooping their pendent branches in the 

 stream, all go to make this portion of the gardens a very favourite 

 resort of visitors. A nice iron bridge also spans the river, and 

 must indeed be of considerable service to the inhabitants of Rich- 

 mond and Collingwood, when visiting the gardens, as well as resi- 

 dents in South Yarra. Here, also, along the margin of the river, 

 are double rows of Eucalyptus globulus, planted on either side of that 

 pleasant walk which, for a considerable space, adjoins another on 

 the summit of the recently-formed embankment, finally merging in 

 the latter where the landing stage is placed, as noticed at the com- 

 mencement of the present sketch. The garden museum, which is in the 

 immediate neighbourhood of the observatory, is now rich in botanical 

 treasures, and there Dr. Mueller, as a descriptive botanist, has made 

 for himself a European reputation, by the publication of the "Frag- 

 menta Phytographice Australia," written, like the learned " Prodromus " 

 of Robert Brown, in Latin, and beyond the reach of the public to 

 understand. — (Melbourne Times.) 



THE TULIP TREE EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI 

 RIVER. 



The Tulip Tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) is probably the 

 largest tree of the older States. It extends from New England 

 westward to the Mississippi, beyond which it is rarely found. It 

 grows in Arkansas as far west as Crawley's Hidge, thirty or 

 forty miles west of Memphis. It was not found west of this 

 by those engaged in the geological survey of Arkansas. Accord- 

 ing to Dr. Engleman it is found in Southern Missouri, but Pro- 

 fessor Swallow, in his report on the geology of that State, states 

 that he and his assistants did not recos-nise it. It is not indi- 

 genous in Texas, and is rare in the Gulf cotton States east of the 

 Mississippi. It is rare in the western part of Massachusetts, and 

 in New England does not extend farther eastward. Michaux 

 says that its northern limit is the southern extremity of Lake 

 Champlain, in latitude 45°. It occurs in Canada in the vicinity of 

 Niagara Falls, from whence it extends westward into Michigan, 

 where it is as far north as Ann Arbor. It is a stately, mag- 

 nificent tree, as seen in southern Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, 

 and the western part of North Carolina, where it is upwards of 

 100 feet in height, with a diameter of 6 or more feet, all of sound 

 wood. I have measured some Sycamores or Buttonwoods, with 

 a circumference greater than the Tulip Tree, but they were 

 hollow and mere shells, and only 60 or 70 feet high. The Tulip 

 Tree has, I think, ampler dimensions and more wood than any of 

 its associates in the forest. 



The following measurements of Tulip Trees were made by me 

 at the height of 3 feet from the ground, unless when otherwise 

 stated. One near "Waynesville, among the mountains of North 

 Carolina, 26 feet 10 inches in circumference. One 33 feet in 

 circumference, at Cold Spring, on the waters of the Pigeon River, 

 in Haywood County, in North Carolina. Another 29 feet 3 inches 

 in circumference, on the head waters of the Little Pigeon; and 

 several of 20 feet and upwards in circumference, near the same 



