October 6, 1888.1 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



383 



carried on. On a level portion of the reserve the 

 Auckland cricket-ground is formed, and a very fine 

 and commodious ground it is. 



Government House grounds are nicely kept, and 

 contain several kinds of European deciduous trees 

 and shrubs; amongst the former are fine examples of 

 the Oak. A number of young trees have recently 

 been planted in the grounds, and appear to be doing 

 well ; amongst others I noticed Abies Pindrow, 

 alba, Picea orientalis, Menziesii, Smithiana, ex- 

 celsa, Camphora officinalis, Photinia serrulata, and 

 Magnolia purpurea. 



Among the host of plants now in full bloom 

 the following are at their best:— Perennial and 

 annual Phloxes, Pentstemons, Hollyhocks, Begonias, 

 Gloxinias, Tuberoses, Lilies, Tritomas, Amaryllis, 

 Gladiolus, Carnations, Picotees, Pinks, Balsams, 

 Stocks, Aquilegias, Delphiniums, Verbenas, Helio- 

 tropes, Calceolarias, Pansies, Lobelias, Myosotis, 

 Salvias, Petunias, Clematis, and Lonicera ; these are 

 now taking the place of Tea, coloured, and Bank- 

 sian Roses, which have continued in bloom, and been 

 yery fine up till now. Pelargoniums and Fuchsias, 

 in great variety, are plentiful, and flowering pro- 

 fusely, the late showers having been favourable to 

 their growth. 



Other conspicuous plants now in bloom comprise 

 Escallonia rosea, Ceanothus, Euellia tuberosa, .lap- 

 anese Hydrangea paniculata, Bouvardia splendens 

 and other vars. ; Magnolia grandiflora, M. purpurea, 

 Ligustrum japonicum, Deutzia crenata flore-pleno, 

 Mock Orange, (Philadelphus grandiflorus), Laurus- 

 tinus, and the Glory Pea (Clianthns puniceus), also 

 known here by the name of Kowhiangutukaka ; there 

 are here some splendid examples of this gorgeous 

 flowering plant. 



I must not omit to mention the beautiful and pic- 

 turesque Pohutukawa(Metrosideros robusta) belong- 

 ing to the natural order Myrtacere, and allied to the 

 Callistemon ; scattered along and overhanging the 

 high cliffs and bluffs of the harbours the gnarled and 

 twisted branches of these tree6 are now covered with 

 charming deep crimson flowers, which are used here 

 at this season as Holly is at home for decorative pur- 

 poses, and the tree is generally known as the " Christ- 

 mas Tree." The timber is highly valued in ship- 

 building. This tree is the last that remains of the 

 beautiful vegetation that once clad the 6hores of these 

 bays and harbours. 



Summer fruits are plentiful, and judging by the 

 tempting displays in, and busy appearance of the 

 market and fruiterers' shops on Christmas Eve, the 

 demand was in proportion to the supply. There 

 have been an abundance of Strawberries, and 

 the cry of "Strawberries! — fine ripe Strawberries!" 

 has been familiar through the streets for some 

 time past. 



The following extract, which I take from the 

 Auckland Weekly News, will give your readers some 

 idea of the extent of the Strawberry industry in 

 Auckland : — 



"By the courtesy of Mr. B. Dawson, we have 

 been supplied with some figures which will show the 

 Strawberry-consuming capacity of the inhabitants 

 of Auckland. There are, in "all, about 200 acres 

 planted in Strawberries, the largest portion of this 

 area being at Northcote. The Devonport district 

 grows only a comparatively small quantity, while on 

 this side there are only two or three large growers. 

 Mr. W.Mason, of Ponsonby, is one of the "largest. 

 He has 18 acres under crop, and for a long time past 

 has supplied from 500 to GOO boxes daily. He em- 

 ploys about forty boys to pick the fruit," and he has 

 a • tin-can band ' to frighten away birds and other 

 fruit stealers. The average crop this season has 

 been about 40 quarts per acre per day ; some farms 

 have given a larger yield than this, and some less. 

 The average weight of a quart of Strawberries is 

 23 oz. This gives us 11,500 lb. or rather over 

 5 tons of Strawberries consumed by the Auckland 

 public every day during the season. Reckoning the 

 price of Strawberries at Gd. per quart, this industry 

 has returned to the growers the very handsome 

 dividend of £200 per day as the gross receipts during 

 the season. Another way to look at it is that during 

 the season every acre under Strawberries has given 

 a gross return of £1 per day. Although none are so 



popular as Strawberries, there are many other small 

 fruits which bring in very acceptable dividends to 

 the growers. Clearly, gold-digging and gum-scraping 

 are not Auckland's sole salvation." 



The New Zealand Frozen Meat and Storage Com- 

 pany have lately been turning their attention to the 

 fruit-canning industry, which promises to become an 

 important one to Auckland. Fruit growers have 

 already taken advantage of the company's demand 

 for Gooseberries, an instalment of something like 

 2 tons ot fruit being sent from the Waikato district 

 as a beginning. In all the company have received 

 about 50 tons of Gooseberries, one grower forwarding 

 as much as 3 tons. 



The following are the prices at which fruits and 

 vegetables were being sold be the principal fruiterers 

 on Christmas Eve : — 



Fruit. — Gooseberries, od. and Gd. per quart ; Apples, 

 ■id. to Gd. per lb. ; Lemons, '2d. each ; Pine-apples, 

 3d. each ; Cocoa-nuts, 3d. each ; Oranges, lid. to '2d. 

 each ; Cherries, black and red Kentish, KM. to Is. 

 per pound ; Loquats, bd. per pound ; Grapes, 2*'. Gd. 

 per pound ; Plantains, -id. to od. per pound. A few 

 Apricots and red Currants were offered at high 

 prices. 



Vegetables. — Peas, lOd. to Is. per peck ; French 

 Beans, Is. 2d. to Is. id. per peck; Scarlet 'Runners, 

 Is. lOd. to 2s. per peck ; Cabbages, Id. to 2d. each ; 

 Cauliflowers, 3d. each ; Rhubarb, id. per bundle ; 

 Potatos, 14 lb. and 16 lb. Is.; Onions, lid. and 

 2d. per ponnd. 



The advice of the Royal Horticultural Society of 

 Auckland has lately been asked on the subject of 

 exporting fruit from this province into the British 

 market. This being to many here an important 

 question, the Society have decided to call a special 

 meeting to discuss the matter, when, no doubt, 

 views will be expressed and information elicited on 

 the subject that will help to develope the exporta- 

 tion of fruit from this province to England, which, 

 if judiciously managed, should prove highly remune- 

 rative to Auckland fruit growers seeking an outside 

 market for their produce. Edgar Spooner, Auck- 

 land, N.Z. 



Notes of Natal Plants. 



Greyia Suthcrlaudi. — There seems to be a 

 difficulty in flowering this fine shrub in England, but 

 I think if cultivators could see it, as I have often 

 done, in its home, the reputation it has for 

 shyness in blooming would vanish. It certainly 

 dislikes warm moist situations and rich soil. Never 

 have I seen it under elevations of 4000 feet, or, 

 in fact, growing in soil at all. Inserting its 

 roots between clefts of sandstone rocks it holds 

 on from year to year, and early in the spring, 

 just before the leaves expand, sends out from 

 the tip of each branchlet its beautiful and curious 

 crimson flowers. Plenty of air at all times it must 

 have. In winter it can be hardly kept too dry ; in 

 summer it needs abundant water; with as many 

 stones as earth about the roots would nearly imitate 

 its chosen home in Natal. 



Cycniunis. — Some of the most lovely of South 

 African flowers are those which have never flowered 

 in Europe, and so peculiar are the conditions under 

 which they grow that perhaps even the skill which 

 flowered Lissochilus giganteus would find itself 

 bafHed before succeeding with the plants under- 

 noted. Not to speak of Disa grandiflora, which Pro- 

 fessor McOwan once informed me could not be got 

 to thrive in the Cape Town Botanic Gardens, nor to 

 mention certain Stapelias collected by Sir H. Barkly 

 in remote parts of the Cape, many of which refused 

 to grow in Cape Town, I would refer to some lovely 

 members of the great order, Scrophulariaceoe. And 

 first to mention Cycniums. 



C. adoensi is a prostrate creeping herb with fine 

 large snow-white flowers like a single Petunia, 

 opening in early spring. A parasite on roots of 

 sundry grasses. Figured in the " North " Gallery, 

 Kew,No. 449. 



C. tubatum.-~A robust leafless species, 2 — 3 feet 

 high, with very showy white flowers in pairs, 2 



inches across. Flowering in midsummer, and a 

 parasite on roots of Labiatce, &c. In the " North " 

 Gallery, No. 402. 



C. raccmosum. — Avery lovely plant, 3 — 4 feet high, 

 with erect racemes of brilliant magenta flowers, as 

 large as the last-named. Grows at elevations of 

 4000 — 5000 feet, seemingly parasitic on grass roots. 

 Blooms also at Midsummer, and called by colonists 

 Christmas -flower. 



Harveya (Atitai/a) sp. — This is a very good thing, 

 though I am unable to give its specific name. A 

 leafless herb, 12 — 18 inches high, with erect pale 

 purple, Foxglove-like flowers, deliciously scented. 

 Only found in dense shady bush, and is a parasite on 

 roots of shrubs. See the " North " Gallery, 404, for 

 a closely allied species. 



Gradcria scabra. — Habit like Cycnium advense ; 

 flowers tubular, bright rose. Parasitic on grass-roots, 

 and often grows in large patches with C. adoensi, the 

 two making a very pretty sight when in flower. 



Striga cocciuca. — A little gem, about 9 inches high, 

 with small, vivid-crimson flowers. I believe it is a 

 parasite. Colonists believe it feeds upon and kills 

 the roots of Indian Corn. Represented in the " North " 

 Gallery, Nos. 402 and 440. All the above I have 

 tried to cultivate, but in vain. Like the English 

 Yellow Rattle (Rhinanthus Crista-galli) and Cow- 

 wheat (Melampyrum pratense) they turn black 

 when dried. R. W. Adlam, Marit^burg, Natal. 



THE SEED TRADE. 



The Dutch Seed Crops. — Large quantities of 

 vegetable seeds are grown in Holland, and, in so far 

 as advices up to date are to hand, it would appear 

 that the yield will fall considerably below general 

 expectations. In consequence of the long winter 

 it was very late in the spring before the proper 

 tillage of the ground could be accomplished, and the 

 crops cultivated. The spring, at first wet, afterwards 

 became dry, but, whether wet or dry, the weather 

 was cold and infertile, and, as in this country, it wa9 

 followed by a summer like that of our own — wanting 

 in warmth and sunshine. Cauliflower, which is 

 largely grown in Holland, is a very late crop, though 

 the plants developed well ; but lack of sunshine 

 must materially affect the yield, which will, it is 

 expected, be much below the average, while, for some 

 reason, not so much was planted as in former years. 

 As to Cabbages, Savoys, and Kales, the prospects of 

 a crop are in general bad, and especially so in the 

 case of Cabbage ; such a bad crop of the latter has 

 not been seen for several years. Swede seed is but 

 a moderate yield ; and Turnips, only partially- 

 planted, show about half a crop. Many plants of 

 Beet perished during the winter, and those saved 

 will give but a small return. Corn Salad has been 

 sown so little, owing to the low prices obtained in 

 late years, that it is doubtful if the crop to be 

 harvested will meet the demand for seed. On the 

 other hand, Spinach seeds were sown more numer- 

 ously than is usual, but the yield does not exceed 

 two-thirds of an ordinary crop. Peas have furnished 

 less than an ordinary yield, and the seeds have suf- 

 fered so from rain that a considerable bulk must be 

 picked from them. Radish looked well early in the 

 season, but during the time the crop was in flower 

 rain fell almost incessantly ; many of the flowers 

 were washed off, and the seed-pods which set were 

 comparatively few. Then, instead of ripening the 

 seed, the plants went again into flower, so that not 

 more than half a crop can be looked for. Of the 

 black Spanish Radish there will be only a small 

 yield. Onion seeds are standing pretty well, but are 

 very late in ripening. English Broad and Longpod 

 Beans show but a moderate yield. Kidney and Run- 

 ner Beans will be a small crop ; they podded so late 

 there is not time enough to ripen. The Cucumber 

 crop is regarded as a failure. Chervil was sown but 

 little, on account of the low price it fetched, but the 

 yield was a good one. Carrot is expected to prove 

 a pretty good crop. The result may be summed up 

 in the statement that crops will be below a poor 

 average ; all that have to be gathered ripen very 



