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vigorously. It is sheltered from the north winds only. Last summer the hail, on one occasion, lay 
around it an inch deep without doing it any injury. Last .autumn I planted out sever.al in different places 
without any protection whatever, but the strong north winds shattered the foliage very much. The 
stems are now (26th September) all budding out afresh, and they look very healthy and strong. The 
aspect is open to the north and south-west, which I think injurious on account of exposure to the strong 
winds. I am of opinion that a hill-side facing the e.ast will bo found the best. We have very light frosts 
heie, in fact wo had none Last rvinter.” Of liquorice, the report is that, after some failures from want of 
knowledge as to how it should be cultivated, the roots last season were nine feet in length, and of nearly 
equal thickness from end to end, with side roots measuring three feet in length. This gentleman h.as also 
tiled the poppy — “In 1865 Isow'ed seeds of the opium-poppy, intending to dispose of the heads to the 
“•'iggisfs ; but I found, when the season came round, that there was scarcely any demand for these, and the 
few druggists I asked seemed very doubtful about taking the opium even if I did collect it. The Jlel- 
bourne seedsmen refused to purchase the seed, so the plants were neglected ; next year a splendid crop 
came up from the self-.sown seed — the plants grew six or seven feet high.” These few instances out of 
many may be taken as a proof that the spirit of inquiry and experiment is alive amongst our country 
icsidents ; and tho following extract shows clearly how a vast amount of useful iiiform.ation may bo 
cheaply obtained concerning new plants generally. After describing his success or failure with some of 
the plants named in tho circular, a settler near Korong concludes his answer to query 2 thus — “The rest 
have not been tried, but I am willing, with others, to incur the expense of experiments on being supplied 
with plants and information as to the soil each plant requires.” 
PLANTS FOK THE COOLER CLIJfATE OP VICTORIA. 
As enjoying a cooler climate, without the extreme vicissitudes of temperature amongst the mountains, 
the districts near the sea to the westward, around Portland, Belfast, .and Warrnambool, as well as t!io whole 
of the lower portions of Gipp.sland, may be instanced. And for such a climate the plants recommended 
are tho mulberry, olive, lemon, almond, apples for cider, pears for perry, the cork-oak, Spanish chestnut, 
sugar-beet, opium-poppy, millet, flax, hemp, phormium, tobacco, hop, tea, and the pea-nut, together with 
certain seeds for oil. Under this range of climate the mulberry and the other trees named thrive admirably 
wherever the soil is naturally dry or well drained. The few varieties of the olive in the colony appear mostly 
to require a warm aspect to enable them to ripen their fruit with certainty where the climate is comparatively 
cool. The cork-oak has been rather widely distributed from the Botanic Gardens ; although it grows slowly 
on dry soil, it has thriven well on rich ground, not altogether without moisture. The Spanish chestnut, too, 
seems rather hard to suit in regard to position, and requires shelter from the north wind. Over the tracts of 
country named, the sugar-beet may be grown with the greatest facility, as may the poppy and the fibre 
plants ; but it is a question if tobacco does not require rather more heat to bring it to the highest excellence 
in regard to quality. Hero the hop grows to tho greatest perfection. Of it a resident of North Gippsland 
says — “In reference to hops, which I cultivate, I sustained considerable loss last season from not having 
tho necessary skill in drying and saving, and having no books on the subject to which I could refer. With 
reference to my experience of their culture, I regard them as an unqualified success, pronounced by persons 
able to judge as being equal in one year to a crop pl.anted three years in England ; and as a proof of their 
extraordinary growth I may mention that they require poles several feet higher here. The varieties I 
cultivate are tho grape and the golding. This year I h.ave extended my plantation, and purpose extending 
it as my means permit.” The opinions of many cultivators of this plant in Gippsland have been furnished, 
and all agree in saying that the hop is most easily reared, subject to no diseases as yet, and bears abundantly 
at an early date. But all the growers have suffered more or less from tho same want of knowledge in drying 
the cones and preparing them for market. As to seeds for oil, there is but one opinion also, namely, that 
many kinds can be grown with ease as soon as there is a market for them ; but this there cannot be until 
oil-mills are erected. 
From the foregoing it is clear that we have in Victoria natural facilities for the growth of a wide 
variety of plant*, ranging from those common in England to the natives of semi-tropical climates. Some of 
these also yield products of great and extended value. And when wo find such a want of knowledge and 
such a difficulty in obtaining information about the saving of a product like the hop, so common in portions of 
our own country, it is not surprising that partial or even total failures have occurred with the plants or 
jiroducts of other countries, requiring treatment so different from any with which the rural population of 
Groat Britain is acquainted. In fact the successes are more to be wondered at ; and these are sufficiently 
numerous to justify the most sanguine hopes of many of your correspondents. 
The Introduction op New Plants. 
Query 3. What would be the best means to effect an early and extensive introduction of such 
useful plants as are not yet generally adopted in Victorian husbandry ? 
The suggestions in answer to this question are almost confined to three modes, with, however, 
some variations on each. These are — the offering of premiums, the furnishing of information, and the 
supply of seeds or plants from public establishments. 
PREMIUMS. 
With regard to premiums, it is proposed that they should be offered either directly by tho Govern- 
ment or through the medium of agricultural societies, and that they should bo for new and useful products, 
for the best varieties of neiv jilants, or for a certain extent of ground planted with any such as may be 
deemed desirable. It is said tho premiums sliould be large, and that the agricultural societies should 
bo induced to offer them only for the plants or products specially suited to the locality which each 
repre.sents. Still larger premiums might bo offered in tho shape of a bonus to the first, second, or third 
producer of any given quantity of the .article desired. There is nothing novel in these suggestions, the 
only difference of opinion being as to whether the growing plant or the marketable product should be placed 
first in order for encouragement. 
