No. 144.] 419 



Revue Horticole, Paris. [Extracts translated by H. Meigs.] 



AUSTRALIA CLIMATE. 



NEWS FROM THE ANTIPODES A RIGOROUS WINTER. 



It is not only in Europe that the striking irregularities of the 

 season are noted. All countries are subject to them — the torrid 

 as well as the frigid and the temperate. We borrow from the 

 Gardener's Chronicle of May, 1854, as to New Holland, whose 

 seasons are inverse our own. An amateur horticulturist, one of 

 the colonists, M. McA.rthur, of Cambden, in New South Wales, 

 writes to Mr. Lindley, of London, that a dry autumn, very unfa- 

 vorable to vegetation, was succeeded by a winter of uncommon 

 rigor. Frost began with the month of May, almost a month 

 sooner than usual, and continued until the latter part of Septem- 

 ber, (five months,) with only four rainy spells, but Avhich almost 

 drowned us, especially the last rain, which was terrible. It 

 caused great freshets, overflo'vving our lands to a vast extent, 

 forming great lakes as it were. And in the meantime our moun- 

 tains were covered with snow to the depth of many feet. The 

 snow destroyed many of our animals by covering up their pas- 

 tures. The Fahrenheit thermometer indicated in the morning 

 18 degrees frequently. 



By comparing South Australia climate with the south of France, 

 we are much struck by the similarity. 



Manures peculiarly favorahle to some plants. — Long experience 

 has proved that animal black is particularly advantageous to 

 tomatoes. Every one of those tomato plants to which I gave a 

 handful of animal black was much more active in growth, and 

 .gave fruit earlier than any others. On the 9th of September, my 

 tomatoes with this black are magnificent, while my others, ma- 

 nured with ashes, or colza oil-cake, and guano, have almost 

 perished with the long drouth we have — the culture, soil, &c., 

 alike in both cases. Colza oil cake, reduced to a powder and 

 ^own in the drills, for carrot seed, has a most happy influence 

 upon the growth of the crop. A small quantity of the powder is 

 ■sufficient. When the heat of the weather is severe, we must 

 •water the carrots. 



