Ill 



{RkodomyrtLis tomentosa), an evergreen shrub or small tree belonging to 

 the order Myrtaceae, or Myrtle family. It is indigenous to mountain 

 regions in India, China, and Ceylon to an elevation of over 8000 feet. 

 It is plentiful in the Nielgherry Hills, where the fruit is much appreciated, 

 and hence the popular name. The fruit is dark purple and somewhat 

 similar to a Gooseberry in size and appearance. When ripe it has a 

 sweet and somewhat aromatic, but palatable, flavour when eaten fresh, 

 and it makes an excellent jam and jelly which are similar to that made 

 from the Guava. The Hill-Gooseberry may be grown successfully in 

 most parts of Australia, excepting the very cold and also arid tropical 

 regions. It is a compact growing, handsome, ornamental plant, and is 

 well worthy of a place in the shrubbery, independent of its value as a 

 fruit producer. The plant is fairly hardy, and will adapt itself very 

 readily to various conditions of soil and situation, but will not thrive in 

 land that lacks effective drainage. Propagation is most rapidly effected 

 by layers put down late in the summer or early in the spring. Plants 

 may be also readily obtained from seeds, which should be covered an inch 

 and a-half deep, and cuttings from the ripened wood of the current 

 season's growth will strike in sand if protected from sun and wind. 



INDIAN PLUM. 



The fruit known under this name is furnished by an evergreen, small, 

 thorny tree or shrub known botanically as Flacourtia cataphracta, belonging 

 to the order Flacourtiacese. It is also known as the Puneala Plum. 

 Another species, Flacortia Ramontchi (Flacourtia sapida\ yields what is 

 known as the u Batoka Plum." It also passes under the name of Mada- 

 gascar Plum. Both are natives of India, and the latter is also indigenous 

 to Madagascar. They have white flowers and Plum-like fruits which are 

 sweet but somewhat acrid, though both make a veiy good preserve. Both 

 species will only thrive in those parts of Australasia that are not troubled 

 with frosts. They will thrive in any ordinary good soil, and in congenial 

 localities are worthy of attention as ornamental plants. They also make 

 excellent hedges. Several other species yield fruits of more or less value 

 and all are useful ornamental trees or shrubs. The more prominent are 

 Flacourtia inermis, known in India as Tomi Tomi, a medium sized tree, 

 but whose fruit is inferior to that of the species previously named. 

 Flacourtia sapida is, as regards appearance and fruit, very similar to the 

 last named species. Flacourtia sepiara is a shrubby species growing six 

 or eight feet high, with small and inferior fruit. It is thickly covered 

 with strong sharp thorns, and makes a formidable hedge. The wood of 

 the tree kinds is valuable, being close grained, takes a fine polish and is 

 durable. In India it is used for a variety of purposes. Plants are easily 

 obtained from seed, which should be planted an inch and a-half deep, 

 layers, or ripened cuttings of the last season's growth, which strike freely 

 in sand or light soil. 



