148 A'EIV SOUTH WALES. 



Several varieties of Acacias are in cultivation^ for their beauty is 

 becoming^ well recoofnised. One of the most beautiful is the Coota- 

 mundra Wattle [Acacia Baileyana). The dry western portion of the 

 Colony is remarkably rich in leguminous plants^ including many species 

 of Acacia, which are exceedingly beautiful Avhen in full bloom — perfect 

 masses of gold. Xo doubt in time they will be treasured in our 

 gardens. In the dry west too we have the handsome Eremophilas 

 and Sturt's Desert Pea [Clianthus Damperii), besides numbers of 

 pretty things hardly known at present beyond their immediate neigh- 

 bourhood. 



The magnificent palms indigenous to Lord Howe Island are well 

 known and valued throughout the gardening world. These are the 

 Howeas, best known as Kentia Belmoreana, K. C ante rhury ana, K. 

 Fosteriana . 



A considerable trade is carried on by the nurserymen and florists in 

 these palms^ chiefly in K. Belmoreana. They succeed admirably m 

 gardens about Sydney, and when planted with tree-ferns grow freely 

 and quickly, and are wonderfully effective. They are useful for glass- 

 house^ bush-house, and indoor decoration, being able to withstand ill- 

 treatment and neglect better than any other palms. 



The bush-house is one of the most useful of structures in connection 

 with the garden in all the warm parts of New South Wales. In it a 

 multitude of plants can be grown which would be liable to perish in 

 the hot sun. It can be, and is, constructed of all sorts of material, 

 sometimes tea-tree brush, laths, bamboo-blinds, and indeed anything 

 that will break the rays of the sun without altogether obstructing 

 them. In many gardens about the metropolis and large towns there 

 are glass buildings where tender exotics of warmer climates than New 

 South Wales are well grown, perhaps as Avell grown by some of the 

 gardeners and amateurs as in any part of the world. Everything 

 indicates that the taste for floriculture is improving rapidly, and will 

 continue to improve, and this is due in a great measure to the fact that 

 we have many excellent gardeners, professional and amateur. 



Unfortunately, the " vegetable " branch of horticulture is greatly 

 neglected ; and it is a disgrace to the Colony that we should be obliged 

 to import many of the vegetables Ave use from our neighbouring 

 Colonies, chiefly from Victoria, where vegetable-growing is in the 

 hands of Europeans. In New South Wales we have equal facilities for 

 the production of every vegetable we need of the best quality, but 

 we seem to lack the entei-prise, or spirit, or go, of our exemplary 

 neighbours. 



As previously stated, our vegetables are chiefly produced by Chinese 

 gardeners. Consequently they are of but poor quality, insipid and 

 watery, owing to the peculiar method of over-watering and over- 

 manuring adopted. Although these vegetables are of such poor quality, 

 they are absolute blessings in many parts of the Colony where Europeans 

 either will not or cannot grow those they need. Vegetables of excellent 

 quality can be produced, even in dry districts, with but little irrigation 

 if they be properly managed, but unless a Chinaman has a super- 

 abundance of water he is lost. 



The vegetable chiefly grown and used in New South Wales is the 

 cabbage, generally of the largest and coarsest kind, for bulk seems to 



