19 
OUR INDIGENOUS PLANTS IN RELATION 
TO HORTICULTURE. 
By Baron von Muetuzr, K.C.M.G., M.D., F.R.S., Evc., 
GoveRNMENT Botanist. 
(2nd September, 1892.) 
A free discourse was delivered by Baron von Mueller, initiatory 
to the lectures, given in the College of Horticulture at Burnley, 
on the 2nd September, 1892, at which address besides the students 
were also present D, Martin, Esq., the Secretary of the Agricul- 
tural Department, the Hon. Wm. Anderson, Joseph Harris, Esq., 
M.L.A., and several other distinguished ruralists and friends of 
theirs. Baron von Mueller commenced in some graceful wording 
to allude to the facilities, which in so enlightened a spirit the 
Government had offered through the Minister of Agriculture to 
incipient horticulturists under the principal care of the Superin- 
tendent of the Horticultural Gardens and throtigh special teachers. 
He referred to the horticultural career as one of the happiest 
most prosperous and healthy in life under most circumstances; 
further he dwelt on the ease, with which rural pursuits also in 
this direction could be carried out in a winterless clime like ours, 
as compared to the difficulties to be overcome by the length and 
severity of the winters in the home-countries, indeed we here 
having almost two springs annually, the one ushered in by the 
first greening of the grass about Easter ; the other commencing 
some months later, when the orchard-trees burst into bloom. The 
Baron referred further to the very ample scope of horticulture 
here, as from a so much vaster number of plants could here be 
selected for outdoor-culture than it was possible in the countries 
of our forefathers. Indeed, he said, in the milder regions of 
Victoria almost any plants of the globe might be reared except 
those of the equatorial zone, added to which was the blessing, 
that rural lands were obtainable in the cheapest of all possibilities. 
In the continuation of his remarks he pointed out the advantage, 
which studious horticulturists here had in becoming acquainted 
with the exact chemical contents of soils and of various manuring 
substances, the relative action of these, their respective adapta- 
bility to various forms of plant-life, and the accuracy with 
which the adequate nutrition could be offered in each instance. 
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