May 1, 1873. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



357 



Amongst the important iutroductiou of seeds which may be- 

 come staple articles stands foremost, the Esparto Grass (Ma- 

 crochloa tenacissima, Knth. ; (Stipa tenacissima, Lin.) a native of 

 Spain, Portugal, Greece, and North Africa. It has gained during 

 the last few years a great mercantile reputation in regard to its 

 valuable fibre, not alone for the manufacture of ropes and other 

 articles, but as contributing also an excellent material for the 

 best writing paper, without any other admixture, and thus, from 

 the great use now made of it by the paper makers, it has become 

 an essential article of import into England and other countries, 

 and a source of wealth to the countries producing it. The im- 

 port in 1871 into England alone is considered about 140,000 tons, 

 and that of Esparto Grass ropes, and other articles manufactured 

 from it, about 19,000 tons. 



Notwithstanding this large importation of the raw material 

 for paper-making, and that the paper-makers use of late a good 

 many other substances for paper-making not used before, the 

 scarcity of material becomes more evident every day, and the 

 consequence is the constant rise in the pi'ice of the paper. 



The value of dry Esparto Grass is about i.'.5 to ,i5 10s. per ton ; 

 and it is said that, under favourable circumstances, as much as 

 from ti to 8 tons can be obtained from an acre. It grows on the 

 poorest soil, especially limestone or sand ; in fact, where the soil 

 will produce no other vegetation the Esparto Grass will grow. 

 It grows even in the sands of the Sahara, on stony hills, and on 

 the very brink of the coast. 



I have not the slightest doubt that the Grass will thi-ive with 

 us, and that the many thousands of acres of arid land, of a lime- 

 stone or sandy nature, we possess in the different parts of the 

 colony scarcely fit for pasture, by sowing with Esparto Grass 

 may become useful. Considering the similarity of our climate 

 with that of Spain, and, in fact, the north of Africa. I am sure 

 we have nothing to fear that our droughts would affect its 

 growth^aud how its introduction would benefit South Australia 

 if our deserts could be changed into productive districts ! 



It is now most extensively planted in the south of France ; 

 and it is said, that no other crop will pay better, so much the 

 more considering that it wiU gi'ow on the poorest soils. It is 

 propagated by seeds, and also by dividing the roots. 



The celebrated Bunch Grass of British Columbia fEIymus 

 condensatus, Presl.), of which I received last year a few seeds 

 from Mr. Anderson-Henry, of Edinburgh, and raised a few 

 plants, seems to do well with us. The merits of the Bunch 

 Grass, both as an early forage, and abundantly productive Hay 

 Grass, have secured for it a highly prominent place among the 

 cultivated agricultural plants of England. 



" In cultivating the Bunch Grass, it is recommended to sow it 

 in drills or beds, allowing it to grow there for at least one season, 

 and then transplanting it to well-cleaned land at a distance of 

 12 or 1.5 inches apart. The seedlings are of little growth, and 

 never bear seed the first season. It will be requisite throughout 

 the first summer, after transplanting it, to keep it free from 

 weeds, but afterwards the plants will be sufficiently strong to 

 ovei-power most kinds of weeds, and they will seemingly grow 

 on in full vigour for a long series of years, and, it is said, will 

 grow in good soils 6 to 8 feet high." 



I was also successful in introducing the seed of another plant, 

 which supplies the material of a not uuimportant article — viz., 

 American brooms, which are so largely imported, and for which 

 we send a large sum of money away, which could be retained in 

 the colony, as there is not the slightest doubt that the millet 

 will gi-ow just as well with us as the Sorghum saccharatum 

 does, and the skill of manufacturing the brooms might soon be 

 obtained. 



There is no doubt that the MiUet will grow with us, especially 

 in the hills, and southern districts. It should bo sown in the 

 latter end of August, but rather thin, so that the plants grow 

 vigorous, and produce a greater development of the inflorescence, 

 which part is used for the manufacture of the broom. 



This industry has aii'eady been introduced in Victoria and New 

 South Wales ; and, in the latter colony, especially in Newcastle, 

 the brooms are largely manufactured, and already exported to 

 South Australia. The Newcastle brooms are an imitation of the 

 American, but do not look so good, which cannot be expected in 

 the short time this new branch of industry has been started. 



Another plant which might be cultivated -^vith profit, and 

 which forms at present a not unimportant article of export in 

 Brazil and East India, is the Ground or Earth Nut (Arachis 

 hypogtea, Lin.) It was shown the first time at the Agi-icultural 

 and Horticultui-al Society's Show last February, grown by that 

 indefatigable colonist, E. Eoss, Esq., Highercombe. 



I received a quantity of seed last year from New Zealand, and 

 considering the lateness of the season when planted, it has done 

 uncommonly well. The seeds are not alone eaten in a roasted 

 state, but also a palatable oil is made from them. 



The plant is an annual, but very productive ; it grows well in 

 sandy soil, and the acre produces from thirty to forty-five bushels. 

 I am able to distribute some of the seeds. 



The true Opium Poppy seed (Papaver somniferum, Lin.), can 

 also be obtiiiued from the garden. It is a wonder that no en- ' 



deavour is made to manufacture opium here. South Australia, 

 so far as climate and soil are concerned, offers no difficulty to 

 the cultivation of the Poppy, and probably wo could produce a 

 good sample of the drug. Mr. G. Francis exhibited at one of 

 the February shows, not long ago, a sample prepared by hiin, 

 which was considered as fair a sample as could be derived 

 from the first experiment. Consider the enormous sum which 

 is yearly expended in opium — I will only mention Victoria, 

 where, according to the custom returns in 1871, opium to the 

 amount of it94,451 was introduced. The cultivation and manu- 

 facture can be undertaken by young people ; and, as the return 

 of the Poppy culture, whether for oil or opium, is within a few 

 months, this renders it highly desirable that an attempt should 

 be made for the cultivation of the Poppy. 



Amongst the new medical jdants introduced last year, stands 

 foremost the famous Mikania Guaco (Humb. &Bonpi.), so highly 

 spoken of by Baron Humboldt as a sure cure for snake bites 

 from the most poisonous kinds. During my travels in South 

 America, this plant was siJoken of everywhere as an infallible 

 remedy. I myself had no opportunity of testing its effects, 

 although we were so unfortunate as to lose two of our men from 

 snake bites, not having the herb with us, which is only found 

 gi'owing on the banks of rivers. 



For a long time the knowledge of the antidotal qualities of the 

 guaco remained a great mysteiy, and was confined to a few 

 native inhabitants of South America. However, the medical 

 qualities of the guaco are now generally known in all countries 

 where it is found. That part of the plant which is used for the 

 snake-bite is the sap or tea distilled from its leaves. The fre- 

 quent accidents and loss of life occurring from snake bites in 

 Australia, especially during the last few years, induced me to in- 

 troduce this valuable plant. 



Notwithstanding that Professor Halford's method (injecting 

 ammonia into the wound) is highly spoken of, and has, indeed, 

 already saved many lives, we should try also the Mikania. True, 

 as a tropical plant, I fear it is not easy to acclimatise (at least, 

 out of doors) in South Australia, but may thrive in more genial 

 parts of Australia — viz.. New South Wales and Queensland. I 

 have the imported plant propagated ; and, when the young 

 plants are strong enough I will send some to Professor Halford, 

 in Melbourne, to test the nature of the i^lants. 



The manufacture of scents and essences is one of the most im- 

 portant. If we consider that British India and Europe consume 

 annually about 150,000 gallons of handkerchief perfume alone, 

 and that the revenue from imported perfumes in England is 

 estimated at about i;50,000, we may judge of the immense 

 quantity of material used for perfumes. Most of the flowers 

 which provide the material for perfumes grow luxuriantly with 

 us — viz., Jasmine, Mignonette, Verbena, Rose, Lavender, 

 Acacia Farnesiaua, HeUotrope, Eosemary, Peppermint, Violets, 

 Oranges, it'c. I may^say these plants thrive, probably, in greater 

 perfection here than' in any part of the world. No doubt South 

 Australia should be a perfume-producing country, as we see here 

 flourishing some of the most valuable scent plants. 



In proof of the value of perfumes to the countries, it may be 

 stated that one acre of Jasmine will produce flowers to the value 

 of £250 annually ; Eose trees, il;75 ; Grange trees, .5^50 ; Violets, 

 itlGO ; Casse trees (Acacia Farnesiana), £90 ; Geranium plants 

 (Pelargonium odoratissimum), £200; Lavender, £30, &c. 



BELGIAN HOBTICULTURE.-No. 4. 



II. LINDEN'S (GLONIR'S) GHENT. 



In the " Autobiography of a Cornish Rector " is described an 

 Oxford sermon by Dr. Tathand. The doctor, who is com- 

 bating some notions of German theologists, is made to say 

 that " if I had my will jarman theology, and jannan philoso- 

 phy, and jarinan metaphysics, should all be biu'ied together in 

 the depths of the jarman ocean." The italics are the author's. 

 But what has this to do with the present subject ? Nothing ; 

 only it instances in emphatic language where most of my 

 Belgian notes have gone, and here is the promised reason why 

 I must omit many names and details of what might have been 

 of some pubhc interest, and I must in future rely almost solely 

 on my powers of memory in an attempt to reproduce some- 

 thing which presented itself last September during a six-days 

 sojourn on Belgian soU. On the passage home the good ship 

 " Leeds " was caught in the first brunt of the equinoctial 

 gales, which raged with more than their wonted fury, and 

 forced themselves into my berth and my pockets, and recon- 

 verted everything in the way of paper into its normal pulp. 

 Much, therefore, that was intended for The Joubn.u. of Hok- 

 TicuLTURE found its destiny in the German Ocean. As to my- 

 self and hale old companion, being of harder material, tho 

 greater portion of us arrived safe on shore, and I presented 

 him to his young wife, certainly a lesser, and, perhaps, a better 

 man. Jly loss was mostly pencil and paper ; his, on his own 

 calculation, averaged '2 lbs. per hour of himself during the 



