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JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



years, and that is the subject of reciprocity in trade matters between 

 England and her colonies. The Right Hon. Mr. Seddon, our Premier, 

 has given the subject marked attention, and we may confidently look 

 forward to the day when a basis of agreement will be arrived at that will 

 be of benefit to British trade as well as to that of the colonies. In my 

 opinion there is nothing that will tend more to bind mutual interests 

 than an arrangement of that nature. If England will help her children 

 — and the initiative must come from her — she will find a response which 

 will be for the good of all. Why should foreign countries swamp the 

 English markets with goods that can be produced equally well by the 

 Englishman's children and cousins across the seas, who abide by the 

 Motherland and are willing to support her in time of need ? We can send 

 you butter superior to any that is produced in Denmark or Russia ; wines 

 and brandies as good as those sent from Continental countries ; wool, 

 tallow, and other products too numerous to mention, which might be 

 placed in a more favourable position than similar articles imported from 

 countries which may at any time be in direct antagonism to the British 

 nation.* 



There are many other industries carried on in New Zealand that I 

 should like to dwell upon, but my object when I started writing this 

 paper — written on the voyage home — was to treat of the progress of 

 horticulture in New Zealand ; and if I have introduced topics more of an 

 agricultural character you will, I am sure, agree with me that the two are 

 of equal interest, and so bound up with each other that it is somewhat 

 difficult when dealing with their establishment in a new country to treat 

 them separately. 



I shall now turn to a subject perhaps more interesting from a flower- 

 grower's point of view, viz. that of the New Zealand flora. 



You will not find the country carpeted with wild flowers like Australia, 

 or as in the country lanes of Old England, but there are a very large 

 number of flowering plants in Maoriland which used to be sought 

 for in the bush and forests, more than 950 species of which have been 

 classified. It has been said, because some flowers are not brilliant in 

 colour, that they have no particular beauty, and lack the attractiveness 

 which is so common in others. New Zealand possesses many flowers of 

 this character which from a popular view might not be considered 

 interesting. Of these I might mention the ' Nikau Palm,' a beautiful 

 and graceful tree, and the several varieties of Clematis that twine round 

 the forest trees. More brilliant is the 1 Pohutakawa,' which at Christmas- 

 time makes the landscape a brilliant scarlet picture, and which is an 

 exception, as regards colouring, to the majority of New Zealand plants. 

 The colonists use the Pohutakawa flowers for decoration at Christmas- 

 time. Sprays are used to decorate the churches and dwellings at 

 Christmastide, and the plum pudding is likewise garnished with it instead 

 of the loved old-country favourite the Holly-bush. There is also a white 

 climbing variety named 1 Aka ' or 1 Akakura.' 



* I .should here mention that these remarks were not penned since the controversy 

 at present raging in England was started. The paper I am reading was written on 

 the voyage borne in April last to help wile away the tedious hours of the journey, 

 and when the subject of reciprocity in regard to our trade relations at times formed 

 the topic of discussion on board. 



