August 18, 1888.] 



THE GA B DENE I? S' CHRONICLE. 



195 



the Tropics find a congenial home in our climate. 

 Mangos — of which there are over twenty varieties in 

 the gardens — and many other trees bear good crops 

 annually. 



As soon as the nursery had been well started, the 

 general clearing and laying out of the reserve was 

 taken in hand. Most of the ground was heavily 

 timbered, with scrub underneath, which made the 

 clearing a tedious and expensive affair. The funds 

 at the disposal of the trustees not being sufficient to 

 clear it all at once, tracks for the main avenues were 

 cleared and planted with suitable trees. The row of 

 Bunya Bunya ( Araucaria Bidwillii) on each side of 

 the centre walk are well grown trees for their age. 

 Some of them have already reached a height of 

 40 feet. The Banyan (Ficus bengalensis) in twelve 

 years have a spread of branches 60 feet in diameter. 

 The finest sight in the gardens is undoubtedly the 

 avenue of Cocoa-nuts (Cocos nucifera), in fruit, with 

 stems from 10 to 20 feet high. The leaves meet 

 overhead. The parallel borders in which they are 

 grown are 20 feet wide, and are closely planted with 

 Crotons. Between 400 and 500 plants were required 

 to fill the borders. The shade given by the leaves of 

 the Cocoa-nuts is sufficient to preserve the bright 

 colours of the Crotons during the hot summer 

 months. There are about forty varieties in the col- 

 lection, and when in full leaf the display is very much 

 admired bv visitors. Large sheds have been erected, 

 andcoreredwith3x 1 inch hardwood battens, 2 inches' 

 space being left between each. In these plant- 

 houses all plants can be grown for which hothouses 

 are required in colder climates. The only glass 

 structures in use are a few propagating frames. 



To fresh arrivals from Europe during our winter 

 and spring months it is always a matter of surprise 

 to see home vegetables and their favourite annuals 

 growing side by side with Mangos, Jack Fruit, Pine- 

 apples, Tamarinds, Cocoa-nuts, Coffee, Bananas, &c. ; 

 yet each year is proving more clearly that there are 

 few annual plants of the temperate zone of com- 

 mercial value that cannot be grown in Central 

 Queensland during the cool season. 



Fruits of tropical and subtropical countries have 

 been well tested. Appended is a list of the most 

 prominent that have been successfully fruited. [A 

 list of about fifty tropical fruits was appended, which 

 the limitations of our space forbid us from printing. 

 Ed.] 



The majority of these fruits are best adapted for 

 the coast country. The finest Grapes are grown 

 inland at elevations of 1000 feet and upwards. 

 Large areas on the Peak Downs, Springsen, and on 

 the Drummond range, are well suited for the cultiva- 

 tion of the Grape Vine. The winter is cold enough 

 to allow the plants to go to rest in the season for two 

 or three months, which they never do near the coast. 

 In these inland districts good Peaches, Nectarines, 

 Apples, and Pears have been grown, but no systematic 

 experiments have been made to find out the varieties 

 of these fruits best suited to the climate. Unless the 

 Government take up the matter, and start small 

 experimental gardens on some elevated position 

 inland, not much progress will be made in this 

 direction. There is not the slightest doubt that 

 Grapes, Peaches, Nectarines, Apricots, American 

 Plums, Pears, Apples, Date Plums, Quinces, and 

 other fruits can be grown in Central Queensland, 

 but a large amount of experimental work will have 

 to be done to find out the right sort to plant, and the 

 proper site to plant them in. Coffee, Arrowroot 

 Tapioca, Ginger, (Hives, and many more plants of 

 commercial value, grow easily here, but the high 

 prices of labour will prevent their cultivation to any 

 extent for some time. Fifty species of Palms have 

 been introduced into the gardens. Some of the first 

 planted are fine specimens. In a few years the 

 collection of Palms will be one of the features of the 

 place. Rockhampton. 



^cumulated temperature indicates the combined amount and 

 duration of the excess or defect of temperature above or 

 below 32° F. for the period named, and is expressed in Day- 

 degree — a "Day-degree" signifying 1° continued for 

 twenty-four hours, or any other number of degrees for an 

 inversely proportional number of hours.] 



The Weather. 



MEAN TEMPERATURE OBSERVED AT CHISWICK DUE- 

 INO THE WEEK ENDING 4T/GUSI 25. (AVERAGE 

 OF FORTY-FOTrR YEARS.) 







Temperature. 









Accumulated. 









® a 



« ^ 





Above or 



*? 



£ 



§4 



S 1 -^ 





below the *" .«" 











Mean f or \ % S 











the week 



"is 



fit 



- ' J- 



~ ' r 





ending 











Aug. 13. 



i* 



«" 



II 



"si" 



if 



Principal Wheat pro- 





Day- 



Day- 



Day- 



Day- 



ducing Districts. 





deg. 



deg. 



deg. 



deg. 



0. Scotland, N. ... 



2 below 



78 







— 1S6 



+ 201 



I. Scotland, E, ... 



(aver.) 



101 







— 347 



+ 157 



2. England, N.E. ... 



1 above 



121 







— 367 



+ 73 



3. England, E. 



3 above 



156 







— 275 



+ 154 



4. Midland Cos. ... 



2 above 



146 







— 33e 



+ 150 



5. England, S. 



2 above 



148 







— 374 



4- 204 



Principal Grazing, &c, 













Districts. 













6. Scotland, W. ... 



(aver.) 



106 







— 255 



+ 107 



7. England, N.W.... 



(aver.) 



127 







— 276 



+ 117 



8. England, S.W.... 



(aver.) 



128 







— 348 



+ 254 



9. Ireland, N. 



1 below 



111 







— 233 



+ 67 



10. Ireland, S. 



1 , above 



126 







— 209 



4- 113 



— Chajhtel Islands 



(aver.); 



139 







— 285 



+ 154 





Rainfall. 



Bright 



sunshine. 



Districts. 



7li 



ip 



i2™ 



in 

 Hi 



gfi = 



Pri ncipal Wheat- pro- 

 ducing Districts. 



Tenth3 of 

 Inch. 





m, 







0. Scotland, N. ... 



4 more 



146 



22.7 



8 



29 



1. Scotland, E. ... 



3 less 



128 



18.8 



11 



.30 



2. England, N.E. ... 



4 less 



118 



17.3 



27 



26 



3. England, E. 



5 less 



120 



15.9 



39 



28 



4. Midland Cos. ... 



6 less 



112 



15.5 



40 



26 



5 England, S. 



5 less 



113 



17.2 



45 



27 



Principal Grazing, &c. 

 Districts. 













6. Scotland, W. ... 



■i lees 



121 



26.0 



15 



.1 



7. England, N.W.... 



3 less 



122 



17.5 



31 



28 



8. England, S.W.... 



7 less 



123 



20.1 



28 



33 



9. Ireland, N. 



1 more 



126 



22.8 



18 



28 



10. Ireland, S. 



5 less 



115 



22.8 



28 



33 



— Channel Islands 



4 less 



138 



18.5 



57 



38 



Aug. n 



... 61°.8 



Aug. . : 



.. 61°.3 



.. 20 



... 61°.6 



„ 21 



.. 61».2 



., 21 



., 22 ... 



... 6l°.5 



... m°.4 



„ 25 



Mean for the week 



.. 81°.0 

 .. 61°.4 



THE PAST WEEK. 



The following summary record of the weather for 

 the week ending Aug. 13, is furnished from the 

 Meteorological Office : — 



"The weather has continued cold, rainy, and un- 

 seasonable in the north-western and northern parts 

 of the kingdom, but in all other districts a decided 

 improvement has taken place, fine and dry conditions 

 being generally prevalent. 



" The temperature has again been below the mean 

 in ' Scotland, N.,' and ' Ireland, N.,' but in most of 

 the other northern and western districts it has just 

 equalled the mean, while over the eastern, central, 

 and southern parts of England, it has varied from I s 

 to 3° above. The highest of the maxima, which 

 were recorded in most places, either on the 9th or 

 10th, ranged from 85 = in ' England, S.,' and ' Eng- 

 land, E.,' and 84° in the ' Midland Counties,' to 79° 

 in ' England. N.E.,' and the ' Channel Islands,' and 

 to between 67° and 77 c elsewhere. The lowest of 

 the minima, which were registered on somewhat 

 irregular dates, ranged from 39° to 49° in Scotland, 

 and from 44° to 51° over England, while in Ireland 



the minimum was 48°, and in the ' Channel Islands ' 

 52°. During the night of the 9th— 10th the ther- 

 mometer did not fall below 63° at several of our 

 southern and south-eastern stations, while in London 

 the minimum was no lower than 65. 



" The rainfall has been rather more than the mean 

 in ' Scotland, N.,' and ' Ireland, N.,' but considerably 

 less in other districts. Over eastern, central, and 

 southern England the fall has been very slight. 



" Bright sunshine shows a decided increase over the 

 greater part of England, but a decrease over Ireland, 

 Scotland, and the west of England. The percentage 

 of the possible amount of duration ranged from 8 to 

 15 in Scotland, from 18 to 28 in Ireland, and from 27 

 to 45 over England. In the ' Channel Islands ' the 

 percentage was 57." 



Notices to Correspondents. 



Intelligent Readers, do please Note that letters 

 relating to Advertisements, or to the supply of 

 the Paper, should be addressed to the Publisher, 

 and that all communications intended for publica- 

 tion, as well as specimens and plants for naming, 

 should be addressed to the Editor. Such com- 

 munications should be written on one side only 

 of the paper, and sent as early in the week as pos- 

 sible. Correspondents sending newspapers should 

 be careful to mark the paragraphs they wish the 

 Editor to see. 



Begonia : D. If. C. Your flower had withered when 

 we received it ; but, so far as we can tell, there 

 are many better. 



Bunch of Grapes : R. H. P. Seeing that the growth 

 is from one eye we should consider it to be one 

 bunch. 



Carnations : C. Lorem. In spite of the elaborate 

 way in which they were packed, these arrived 

 utterly shrivelled. A layer of moss should have 

 been placed over the flowers. Cotton-wool, though 

 so generally adopted, we look on as the worst 

 possible packing material. Another time please 

 to address the Editor. 



Carnations (Seedling) : W. W. A very good lot, 

 varied in colour, of good size and form. 



Chiswick : T. H. There is no difficulty in obtain- 

 ing admission. Make yourself known, and you 

 will be admitted. Strangers, and non-gardeners, 

 pay Gd. for admission. You may cut your Aucubas 

 now ; do not delay too long. — W. C. If you make 

 yourself known as a gardener you may be admitted 

 without fee on any day except Sunday ; otherwise 

 you may have to pay 6rf. 



Fungus: B. G. The Giant Puff-ball (Lycoperdon 

 giganteum). We suspect the heavy dressing of 

 pig-manure with the tan was the cause of the 

 decay of the Rhododendrons. We do not think 

 the tungus is the cause of the malady. If a slice 

 of the fungus be taken when it is still snow-white, 

 and fried in batter, it will be found to have a very 

 delicate flavour. It is quite harmless, but must 

 not be eaten if at all discoloured. 



Insects : Southampton. The insects found in con- 

 siderable numbers in a lately-built house as very 

 destructive, are a small species of the numerous 

 family of Longicorn beetles. They are named 

 ( Ibrium minutum. Please send any further parti- 

 culars to Professor Westwood, Oxford. W. 



Name* of Plants: D. T. 7, Potentilla argyro- 

 phvlla; 8, Geranium sanguineum var.; 9, Scabiosa 

 columbaria var. ; 10, Achillea ptarmica. — C. A. L. 



1, Stachys betonica ; 2, Verbascum lychnitis; 3, 

 Digitalis grandiflora ; 4, Cephalaria tartarica ; 5, 

 Digitalis lutea ; 6, Inula helenium. — W. E. Dian- 

 thua liburnicus ; Helichrysum angustifolium. — 

 E. Cooper. Iris Robinsoniana, and Fuchsia ven- 

 usta. — Sir J. W. 1, Pterocarya caucasica ; 2, 

 Cladrastis tinctoria, oltogVirgilia lutea; 3, Syringa 

 Emodi ; 4, Abies nobilis : 5, A. magnifica. — 

 (?. W. W. Rubus chamamorus. — J. A. M. Hy- 

 menocallis littoralis, Salisb. Zeylanicum and 

 maritimum belong to Pancratium , the other 

 species you mention to Hymenoeallis. The two 

 genera are quite distinct in fruit and seeds. J. G. 

 Baker.— J. M'D. 1, Dendrobium Fytcheanum ; 



2, Aerides maculosutn. — W. A. G. 1, Adiantum 

 concinnum latum ; 2, A. concinnum : the name 

 formerly given was a misprint: 3 has a resem- 

 blance to an erect form of A. decorum, but it may 



