6 A GARDEN. [CH. I. 



luxuriance — the caper plant growing amidst rocks — the 

 English oak — the horse-chesnut — broom — magnificent mul- 

 berry trees of thirty-five years' growth, umbrageous and 

 green. Beds of roses, in great variety, were spread around, 

 and filled the air with fragrance, while the climbing species 

 of that beautiful flower was equally pleasing to the eye. I 

 observed convict Greeks* — " acti fatis" — at work in that 

 garden of the antipodes, training the vines to trellices, made 

 after the fashion of those in the Peloponnesus. The state of 

 the orange-trees, flourishing in the form of cones sixteen 

 feet high, and loaded with fruit, was very remarkable, but 

 they had risen from the roots of former trees, which, having 

 been reduced to bare poles by a drought of three years' du- 

 ration, had been cut off, and were now succeeded by these 

 vigorous products of more genial seasons. Mr. Macarthur 

 assured me, that by adopting this plan, many fruit-trees, 

 after suffering from the effects of long-continued drought, 

 might be renovated successfully. The want of moisture in 

 the climate of Australia, may occasionally compel the gar- 

 dener to resort to such extreme measures for the preserva- 

 tion of his trees : but the orange has hitherto yielded a very 

 profitable and constant return to those, who have attended 

 to its cultivation in this colony. The luxuriant growth of 

 the apple and pear, in a climate so dry and warm, is a 

 remarkable fact ; and when we consider the exuberance of 

 the vine in the few spots, where it has as yet been planted ; 

 we are justified in anticipating from the variety of aspect 

 and unbroken soil in these southern regions, that many a 

 curious or luxurious wine, still unknown, may in time be 

 produced there. 



But the garden, to iiini who seeks a home in distant colo- 

 nies, must ever he an object of peculiar interest; for there, 

 while cultivating the trees, fruits and flowers of his native 

 land, the recollection of early days, and of the country of his 

 hiith is awakened by the vivid colours of the simple flower 



• Pirates. 



