A0GUST 6 l89^ 



GARDENERS' MAGAZINE 



5n 



u- k fhnuirh one of the most extensive in the world, is fourth with us as gravity greater than that of water, and are remarkable for d.,rahii;n, m a- • 1 



aj,,, which, though ' °ne 01 {B rachycome spp. ) have repre- plants are not particularly well represented ITltJnv %2%L« . M 1 dlcln ,^ 



^^LfTve 2 oTe , including New Zealand ; but the genus does not ties are not known. The euXS yfeid I 'the w^Known anT ^ 



rrexLd^nd these' 1^ Among its two score specs are many J^^^ lj$U a tot Sr^M a^gf; 



ailment? th; ^^™ 0 , 01 ^ 110 ^ as the " asthma ^rb," fromits use in that 



see 



Aunty 



attractive, and meritorious plants. , W ™* P l ^era is commonly known as the - asthma herb," from its use in that' 



£e represented by a goodly number of species, though ex^ aUme it; the Gentians and many others possess valuable torn™ 



Extensive areas in the uninhabited interior produce lit le else but a While there are others deserving notice, yet mxny indigenious plants S 5 u£ 



^ -Soinifex" {Triodia Irritant), which is spiny and utterly useless as unearned reputation for medicinal or curative virtues J Y q 



Grasses 

 Cyperacra. 



mS!^ Its sharp spines caused considerable irritation to mc legs ui u.c umw- 

 ve beasts of burdens in all the exploring expeditions that crossed any extent of 

 It affords shelter to a few native animals and reptiles which form the scanty 

 Ll of the few nomadic and indolent natives who traverse occasionally these dreary 

 ■rions They burn the grass, and thus drive out their intended prey. The 

 Kangaroo Grass * (Anthistiria ciliati), or, as it should be called by priority, 



- ' -* J f — " It resists the drought f ~ — 



11 Grass- 



trees 



Themeda triandra, is a splendid fodder plant. ~ — # - . 



tinent is subject, and springs up into growth immediately after rain 

 " are common in many parts. The leaves are long and wiry, and the white 

 bases of the young inner leaves are edible and of a nut-like flavour. The flower 

 spikes that surmount the tufts of leaves are frequently several feet in height. 

 Grass trees {Xanthorrluca spp.) are not grasses, but are allied to the lilies, and 

 were included among the Liliaceae by our late distinguished Government botanist. 

 Of liliaceous plants we have many varieties. A number are small but none the 

 less beautiful. Grass-lilies of brilliant hues adorn the pastures. The " Fringe-lilies" 

 (Tkysanotus spp.) speedily arrest the attention of even the most casual observer 

 by their exquisite beauty. It is difficult to say which is the more admirable, their 

 delicate tints or the fairy-like fringe from which these plants derive their generic 

 and popular names. The "Queensland or Spear-lilies (Djryanthes spp.) are 

 ictly amaryllidaceous plants of huge size. They produce an excellent fibre. 

 The Kutacae are represented by about two hundred species. The native fuchsias 

 Cured spp.) are handsome flowering shrubs. Eriostemon and Boronia are the 

 kigest genera, each possessing many horticultural desiderata. Boronia megas- 

 .gma from Western Australia produces copiously its sombre-looking but exquisitely 

 fragrant blossoms. Dried specimens in the herbarium will continue for years to 

 emit this delicious perfume. Several other plants of this genus are of rich beauty, 

 flcus macrophylla, the u Moreton Bay Fig," may be chosen to represent the 

 jenus 1 icus, which includes some twoscore native species. It grows into a stately 

 tree, and produces large, handsome, glossy leaves. Another representative of 

 d* or der Urticaceae, the "Tree-nettle" {Laportea gigas), has already been 

 referred to. The sting of this nettle causes such severe pain as to actually drive 

 attic mad when they inadvertently brush against the branches. 



hpacrids of delicate and almost inconceivable beauty cover immense areas. 

 They are locally known as "Native Heaths." They are allied to the true 

 Wte(Eruace>r) t which outwardly they somewhat resemble, but differ in struc- 

 re and dehiscence of anthers. A by no means uncommon, but never-to-be 

 pMten, sight is an extensive tract, called a "heathbed," covered with these 

 ^Uful pants in full bloom and exhibiting the richest as well as the most 

 SRVJr^ ™ e p nus Stypheha is the richest in species. Several plants of 

 mouki^purndcu) possess more than ordinary horticultural merit, but many of 



E^SerT* t ;V l,!ir,CUl1 cu , lture -^ characteristic which they share with 

 ■*> other desirahlc native plants. Epacris impressa is a striking feature 



KTuiSifJT r e ^ tat J° n ; ItS br F ant and C °P i0US, y borne blosfoms and 

 £ I man ^ an Iik^ ^ ****** exceedingly noticeable and attrac- 



S« \£ l^^S 11 S T e ' R exhll ?^s great variation in colour, from 



palms we 



T ny °f ^ re of >P° sin g appearance" These 

 icny connned to the eastern co bmes. Even n th* u 



nearned reputation for medicinal or curative virtues. 

 JSe^hnhS CJcam P. les x ^insectivorous plants are included in the genera 



?htt fo,licularis ' Drosera and U^cffii! 



vol v No 7 J ,1 W !i ■ ? my , lcCtU ^ " lDSect Tfa P 3 '" ^ng Naturalist 



thought ^eVtthe CIal rambliD f Way 1 have noted a few of what I 



tnougnt were the mo.t striking points in our flora, chiefly such as possessed interest 



from a horticultural or utilitarian standpoint. The topic, howev« t o 



Strawberries 



The Strawberry Crop. 



With the exception of the latest kinds, the strawberry season will soon be over, 

 but, so far as this neighbourhood is concerned, it has been one of the best on 

 record. There was an abundant yield last year, but this season's crop has 

 surpassed it both in point of quantity and quality. One thing greatly in favour of 

 the present season is the absence of the great heat and drought that strawberries 

 w V° u contend with kit year, which naturally tended to shorten the supply. 

 With the exception of the past week, when the weather became very hot, the 

 plants have had nothing to distress them previously, and this has enabled the 

 fruit to mature more slowly and ripen up more naturally. It must be admitted 

 that such a successful issue was scarcely anticipated in April last when the plants 

 had to withstand such a succession of cold winds that growth was for the time 

 being almost entirely suspended. Towards the end of the month more genial 

 weather prevailed, followed by a good rain the first week in May, which soon 

 brought the early kinds into full bloom. Then occurred another spell of cold, 

 and the result was that instead of the fruit on the early varieties being ripe as 

 usual the last week in May it was June 17 before gathering in quantity could be 

 begun. Since then all has gone well, and although the season has been late it has 

 been a most successful one. In addition to the yield being so abundant, it should 

 be noticed that the individual fruits have been particularly fine in size, especially 

 those of Royal Sovereign, which were magnificent. Colour has also been all 

 that could be desired, and flavour, if not first-rate at the outset, improved as the 

 season advanced, and has of late been all that one could wish. The finest fruits, 

 it may be remarked, were gathered from last year's runners, and the heaviest crops 

 from two and three year old plants. The runners were layered in small pots and 

 planted as soon as well rooted, early in August, consequently they quickly became 

 established and made fine plants ere winter set in. I find this the best method to 

 pursue to ensure the production of fine fruit for despatching to a distance for 

 dessert, and annually plant several hundreds with that end in view. 



Stoke Edith Gardens. Hereford. A. Ward. 



C Ss!on,lL eaStern COl ° nieS - ? VCn ' m . the d «ert interior, however, 

 nave occ.is.onally come across stately species which mark out veritable 



^^S\u! n^vSL^^ thr ^ hun f red k ?Pecies, many of them exhibiting 

 ^ »W half a uZa a SUpetb beau i y whlch characterises this order. We 

 W » « ^ s hU Qflf ™% ma ?>; ° f K Whi ??', howev «> are here represented 

 ** »P«cies^rbend r obiu m e ^ ulslt ^, beau ^ u P^nts the genera possessing 

 ^vVlabellma^ Caladenia, Pteror-tylis (ofcen with 



"W«le "ffiEl Li led orcWr» rS) M ^^r"^' S * ICOC ™™> «d Diuris, the 

 ^ beauty and rich nerfuS Of ° f sma11 h * of rare and 



JW«, bm b^^iFT^U?^ ™ Ca ?,. bo f st °ot only a number of 

 * nubcrant grow n of L nv g / er f n -gV lhes ' P'ofusely covered with 



5? tIWS tfjnwW [fflSSl 6 S - atdy aS Wdl 38 de,i <*te varieties, 

 fc wd «presen he eenia S F,™^ ^ P rof ™°a in humid forest 



miive trunk If our n P la ' ^^'^ Cyathea, while the 

 2*° Part of the SLn hernLh F^l barbara ' end ^ic to the 



2&of considerably ^ ™ ton ^ bee " known to attain a 



i£i*«h a livingmass of yerAuZ , °L SOme of our fern-trees are 



Rawing the eeL™ -r dure ' con sistmg of filmy and other tender ferns 

 m*** ?? Tnchomanes and HymenophyllL, SSSffSJuSi 



^«gy. trunks Vf Vhe*se nEZt^t™*^ frequently be seen. Draping 



ite examples of the 

 In my "Census of 



•noth 



. Strawberries in Scotland. 



The healthy appearance of the plants, and the abundant bloom earlier in the 

 season, gave rise to hopes that the strawberry crop would be a heavy one. These 

 anticipations are now, however, dispelled, for with the main crop ripe and late 

 varieties far enough advanced for the quality and weight of crop to be pretty 

 accurately estimated, it is evident that the crop generally is much below the 

 average. Late varieties appear to be the worst in this respect, and as these pro- 

 bably form the bulk of the crop grown in northern gardens, the deficiency is the 

 more severely felt. My own experience in these gardens may be stated as follows : 

 — Early varieties very good and heavy crops. Successional and main-crop 

 varieties only moderate, while later ones, comprising such well-known sorts as 

 Elton Pine, Filbert Pine, Latest of All, and some others which usually crop so 

 well, carry not more than half a crop, many plants in an otherwise healthy planta- 

 tion being fruitless. It is difficult to account for this failure, as the bloom was 

 very good and plentiful, and appeared so late in the season, that frosts could not 

 have acted as a factor for evil in their case. 



These remarks are intended to apply specially to Wigtownshire, as I have had 

 no opportunity of ascertaining the condition of the crops in the great strawberry 

 growing districts of the Clyde valley, and places further north, but as varieties 

 that have proved specially suitable tor the different soils and climate for northern 

 parts are cultivated, though little known elsewhere, the crops may be more 

 satisfactory than they are in this part. During the past fortnight I have visited 

 several of the leading gardens in this county, some of which are noted for fruit 

 culture, and strawberries in particular, but not an instance of a full crop has been 

 pointed out, and in some cases the deficiency is so great that not even a moderate 



ation. 



' f ^ Cape Ot Z\ T 1 ^ le T lcft enia, and others. 

 y*** species 



supply was to be expected. 



Galloway House, Garlieslown, N.B 



James Day. 



musi- 



Pea Veitch's Masterpiece.-This is a grand cropping pea somewhat 

 similar in appearance to thevariety named Main Crop ratsed, ^d sent out 

 by he same firm, and is quite equal to it m quality. It is a dwarf grower^ 

 the haulm being about three feet high, and it produces lit long shghtly curved 

 nods ^n great profusion. Each pod is filled with from nine to ten large peas, 

 whiJh are of deEs flavour when cooked. It is a fine pea to grow for 



Tnd be nJ so productive and of dwarf habit it should commend 



fTt ama'teu^ ^ZTff^T^ are hindered from growing the 

 itself to amateurs and pnwwg _ ri ; nrw1 in „,,».,;„•,„„ the necessary stakes 



Mint-tree777->v,c7 // iie mosses whlch here taller Kinas mruug.. u *. 

 ^ t TXL^ m/A fr a W-) laden with their for their support.-A. W. 



^S^^^SSV^ SCCne ' ^Zi Tia^LX DecorTti e P ant Groups. Originality of design in the effective or 



**JS£i«> (A^SZ!^^ , . . «eal earthly ^ , ^orative ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Mowcr , huws smm U; 1)C ..^ui.rly lacking 



arkabl 



.u u , ™ A,| ortne 

 the bottle trees of the 



or more strictly in 

 genus Brachychiton 



- J^P*> L ), the $ueeifSle r r UnkS - ^ ^bechd. F.'v M 



^*«^btari a L f bnllian t Wossoms are f^rn e or « eou s appearance when 



H*.* •X^n ° f . the ve ^il on hue of the tlow!" * h ™^> and the 



U l *5S^ y the sheddin c of iL hi ?' . At the sam « time the 

 t^^SSE^^ 5 hardly any Th e few T' , ^'^ ,eav «- Of food 



^ZS?^™' Afe^vlfd ak^'f le , 1, uii ' are f r the most 



Us< M any of the seasoned - ^ - Tlm ber-produc 



» ar „ nm , mrt of Dlant croups at Hower shows seems to oesinguiany iacKiu S 



tn^XnZTT n :l and \h g en we meet with a « Cyphe,,". or some distant but 

 ommendSe imitator. Generally these groups are the »™ ^J^SS 

 from vear to year, and at shows all over the kingdom. They quite fail to attract 

 irom year ro i yt ■ , d . fa h j saw u and most comnien d. 



a": dSS tTS ui^Y from a stereotyped form at the Henley .Surrey) 

 show recently held. Mr. Bannerman, gardener to a local gentleman, put up, not 

 fn ,ln,t; t fn a verv pleitsing and an original arrangement made to resemble a 

 villa Ze court garden ? There was a modulated banfe at the back, and the sides 

 and front were formed of narrow margins of plants set in moss, an open space in 

 Z T front Sing le*, for entrance. On the little lawn enclosed were three small 

 ound beds of plants. The effect was a charming one, and the group was greatly 



possess a specific admired. — A. D. 



