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Horticulture. 



By W. S. Campbell, Department of Agriculture. 



Perhaps no portion of tlie world, of the same area, is better favoured, 

 tlian New Soutli Wales, with its varied climates and soils, for the pro- 

 duction of fruits, vegetables, and flowers. It is really surprising how 

 great a variety can be grown to perfection and at a minimum expenditure 

 of labour. Exotics from cold, temperate, and even tropical countries 

 thrive equally well within the limits of this comparatively small area; 

 and still ]nore remarkable is the fact that so many of these plants 

 from different climates will grow side by side in many favoured 

 localities. With all these advantages it seems strange that but little 

 attention is devoted to the raising of vegetables for home use, or to the 

 cultivation, of flowering and ornamental plants for the adornment of 

 the homes of the settlers in the country. Occasionally one may meet 

 with a well-cared-for beautiful garden, like an oasis in the wilderness, 

 but, as a rule, few attempts are made even to grow the commonest 

 vegetables for the family's requirements, and dependence for supplies 

 is placed on Chinese gardeners, whose gardens are generally to be 

 found dotted about the country, especially in the most populated 

 districts. The raising of vegetables, the selling of fruit, and the 

 hawking of goods seem now to be almost entirely in the hands of the 

 Chinaman, the Italian, or Syrian, and the Indian ; at the same time 

 that a vast proportion of our white population consists of unemployed 

 men tramping through the country in search of work, and dependent 

 on the hospitality of the settlers. 



Considering the little difiicLilty there is, in most seasons, in producing 

 a sufficiency of fruits and vegetables for a family's recjuiremeuts in 

 most parts of the Colony, it seems almost incredible that our settlers 

 or farmers do not grow everything they need. This may be due in 

 many instances to apathy, and in others to a want of knowledge ; but, 

 whatever the cause, it is very much to be regretted. Instances are 

 known where vegetables are brought hundreds of miles to localities 

 where the same kinds of vegetables can be grown to perfection with 

 but little trouble. In some j^laces Chinamen travel 40 to 50 miles 

 carting vegetables to settlers who have soil sufficiently rich to grow 

 all they need if they took the trouble to devote but a few minutes 

 a day to the work. 



All this will probably be altered as knowledge spreads. When 

 the principles and practice of horticulture can be taught in our Public 

 Schools it will be a boon to the Colony, for it is to the coming 

 generation we must look for improvement. Here and there in the 

 country instances may be seen of admirable work effected by the 

 examples and kindly encouragement of masters at Public Schools when 



