January 31, 1895. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
95 
■new public grounds at Zuric, the phenomenal glacier garden in Lucerne, 
the Theirgarten and Humboldshain in Berlin, all of which Mr. Meyer 
was able to speak from personal experience. With regard to public 
parks and gardens in England, the lecturer considered that in London 
Battersea Park was the besc, while as an educational field Kew Gardens 
far surpassed all others. 
- Fruit Culture in New South Wales.—T his industry is 
receiving the attention its importance to the colony demands, and its 
most recent development is the formation of an experimental farm at 
Wagga Wagga, a town about 309 miles from Sydney and nearly 
equidistant from that city and Melbourne. The farm of which 
Mr. George Valder is Superintendent has an area of 75 acres, 45 acres 
being apportioned to fruit trees, 25 acres to Grape Vines, and 5 acres to 
agricultural experiments. About 3000 fruit trees and 4000 Vines have 
been planted during the past season. The collection, says a con¬ 
temporary, comprises 600 different Apples, 450 Pears, 250 Plums, 200 
tJherries, 100 Peaches, 120 Apricots, seventy Olives, fifty Figs, and 
eighty Nectarines. In addition there are Gooseberries, Easpberries, 
Loquats, Strawberries, Date Plums, Quinces, Almonds, Chestnuts, 
Walnuts, Guavas, Dates, Prunes, Mandarin and other Oranges, Lemons, 
Currants, and a few odd trees of other fruits. It is intended to plant 
one acre each of Prunes, Figs, Apricots, Eaisins, and Currants for 
drying. The experimental farm is situate on the side of a high hill, 
from the top of which magnificent views are obtained of the surrounding 
country, and about four miles from the town of Wagga Wagga, and the 
climate of the district is colder than Sydney in winter and hotter in 
■summer. The district is favourable to the cultivation of the majority 
of fruits grown in the colony, and the farm will be of much value to 
growers in indicating the varieties to plant and which to avoid. 
- A Scientific Discovery from Japan. —A Japanese savant, 
Jokichi Takamine, who has studied at Glasgow and Tokio Universities, 
has, according to the “ Times,” discovered a novel method of preparing 
diastase and some other substances, of which we recently received 
specimens. He has been cultivating Eurotium Oryzae, a mycelial plant 
of the Aspergillus family, on Wheat bran, and has found that at an early 
stage of its growth it bears upon its roots minute crystals of diastase, 
while the unripe spores contain a very powerful ferment. By washing 
the bran in percolators and crystallising the solution, he claims to be 
■able to obtain diastase of considerable purity as a commercial product. 
Diastase is, of course, a familiar enough substance, though our chemical 
knowledge respecting it is at present far from complete. Its property, 
however, of transforming starch into sugars is made use of every day by 
brewers and distillers, whose object in performing the troublesome 
operation of malting is the production of diastase. But it has never 
hitherto been produced in such a form as the present. Takamine claims 
that a mixture of equal parts of this diastase (or '‘Taka-koji” as he 
calls it) and crude Wheat-bran, when added in the proportion of 10 per 
cent, to the quantity of grain mashed, will effect a more perfect con¬ 
version than the use of 10 per cent, of the best malt. The ferment is a 
very remarkable substance. It is said to be three times as powerful as 
yeast—that is, it will continue to produce fermentation in a sugar 
solution till there is 20 per cent, of alcohol present, whereas the action 
of ordinary yeast stops when the percentage of alcohol reaches 7. 
This one fungus, therefore, appears to produce in itself the converting 
agents required in two of the most important processes in the manu¬ 
facture of beer and spirits. Besides this, the Wheat-bran, after two or 
three cultivations have been grown upon it, is said to form a good food 
for cattle, containing some 20 per cent, of protein, or flesh-forming 
substance. 
- Vegetables in New York —The supply of vegetables to 
the New York markets is, at the present time, says the “Garden and 
Forest,” remarkably varied, comprising the ordinary autumn root crops, 
both home, Canadian, and European, as well as the more perishable 
green crops kept in cold storage, new vegetables from the Gulf States 
and from the Pacific coast, and choice hothouse products from adjoining 
States. The principal supplies of Potatoes in our markets now come 
from Long Island and interior sections of New York State, and from 
New Jersey, Maine and Michigan. Cargoes have recently arrived from 
Scotland, England, Germany and Belgium, and new Potatoes from 
Bermuda are already here. The best Sweet Potatoes come from Vine- 
land, and West India Yams, weighing from 5 to 8 lbs. apiece, are 
occasionally seen. These are cut in quantity to suit the purchaser, and 
sell for 15 cents a pound. Winter Turnips, from New Jersey and from 
Canada, are abundant and cheap, while small and tender hothouse 
Turnips cost 6 cents each. Carrots grown under glass may be had for 
20 cents a dozen. Florida Cucumbers, small, and of irregular form, sell 
at the rate of four for 25 cents, the smooth and shapely hothouse 
product bringing 20 cents each. These have more than their appear¬ 
ance to account for the difference in price, since their crispness and 
delicate flavour is most marked. Tomatoes from the Southern States 
and from California cost 25 to 30 cents a pound, the firm flesh and rich 
colour of hothouse fruits making sales for them at 50 to 60 cents a 
pound. Small bunches of Asparagus from St. Louis are offered at 
35 cents each, and slender stalks of the same vegetable from New 
Jersey greenhouses are luxuries which cost as much as 1 25 dollar for 
two dozen tips. New Okra, from Havana, costs 10 cents a dozen. 
Artichokes, from Louisiana, 25 cents each, and Florida Squashes, 
10 cents. Other vegetables from Florida are Egg-plants, Brussels 
Sprouts, Leeks, Peas, string Beans, and Lettuce. Dandelion grown in 
cold frames on Long Island finds ready buyers at 20 cents a quart, and 
the best Mushrooms coat 1-25 dollar a pound. 
THE “CHARLES COLLINS” FUND. 
The following (circular) appeal and list of subscriptions have been 
sent to us for publication ;— 
At a meeting of members of the Horticultural Press held at the 
Hotel Windsor, Victoria Street, S.W., on January 11th, the following 
resolution was unanimously passed :— 
“ In consideration of the services rendered to horticulture in his 
journalistic work by the late Charles Collins, of the high respect in 
which he was universally held, and of the fact that owing to the long- 
continued ill health of himself and his wife he was unable to make 
adequate provision for his family, who are in deep distress, a fund be 
opened for their benefit.” 
On the same occasion a General Committee, comprising a number of 
horticultural journalists, together with the following gentlemen who 
form the Executive Committee, were elected to carry the above reso¬ 
lution into effect—viz.. Maxwell T. Masters M.D., F.R.S. (Chairman), 
41, Wellington Street, Strand, W.C.; Brian Wynne, F.R.H.S. (Vice- 
Chairman), 1, Clement’s Inn, Strand, W.C.; George Gordon, F.R.H.S. 
(Treasurer), Endsleigh, Priory Park, Kew ; T. W. Sanders, F.R.H.S. 
(Hon. Secretary), 57, Cressingham Road, Lewisham, S.E. 
For the information of those who are not fully acquainted with the 
facts of this sad case it may be briefly stated that the late Charles 
Collins was for some few years engaged on the Editorial staff of the 
“ Journal of Horticulture,” and prior to that filled similar positions 
on the “ Gardeners’ Chronicle ” and “ Amateur Gardening.” He was 
returning on the evening of December 26th from a visit to some friends 
at Forest Gate, and just as he was about to enter the train was suddenly 
taken ill, and expired almost immediately. He leaves a widow and two 
little girls, aged three and four years respectively. 
Mr. Collins, having only attained the age of thirty years, had been 
unable to make adequate provision for the support of his wife and 
family, and hence the Committee and Executive have resolved to make 
an earnest appeal to those who knew him to subscribe to the above 
fund, and thus enable them to alleviate in some measure the pressing 
needs of the widow and family. 
Subscriptions may be sent to either of the gentlemen named above, 
or to the Editors of the various gardening journals. The amount* 
received will be duly acknowledged in the gardening Press. 
LIST OF SUBSCRIPnONS. 
Dr. Masters 
... 
£3 
3 
0 
H. J. Jones . 
ill 
1 
0 
A. Daan ... 
0 
10 
6 
Mrs. H J. Jones 
1 
1 
0 
G. W. Cummins 
• • • 
0 
5 
0 
H, S. Wo.oderson 
1 
1 
0 
C. T. Druery 
« ♦ • 
0 
2 
6 
T. W. Sanders . 
1 
1 
0 
A Friend. 
• < • 
1 
0 
0 
R. Weller . 
0 10 
0 
G. Gordon 
• • • 
1 
1 
0 
H. C. Prinsep ... 
0 
5 
0 
W. P. Wright ... 
« • 
3 
3 
0 
D. B. Crane . 
0 
5 
0 
E. Mi'lyneux 
• • 
1 
0 
0 
A. Rendle 
0 
2 
G 
S. Mortimer 
0 
10 
0 
H. Stevenson . 
0 
2 
6 
C. H. Curtis 
< • • 
0 
10 
6 
H. Shoesmith . 
0 
5 
0 
Rev. D’Ombra'n... 
• « 
0 
10 
6 
Ladywell Horticultural 
C. E. Shea 
• • • 
1 
1 
0 
Society. 
0 
13 
6 
R. P. Broth»istou 
• • • 
0 
5 
0 
H. A. Smith . 
0 
2 
6 
H. Richards 
• • • 
0 
10 
6 
W. Dipper 
0 
2 
6 
W. H. Divers 
• • • 
0 
5 
0 
J. Norton . 
0 
2 
6 
W. Wells. 
• • • 
0 
10 
0 
Mrs. J. Norton. 
0 
2 
6 
Dohbie & Co. 
0 
10 
6 
C. E. Diggle . 
0 
2 
6 
T. Humphreys ... 
• • • 
0 
6 
0 
G. W. Comfort. 
0 
2 
G 
J. W. Moorman... 
< • • 
0 
5 
0 
Mr^s. G. W. Comfort ... 
0 
2 
6 
J. P. Kendall ... 
0 
2 
6 
E. D. Smith . 
0 
5 
0 
A Gardener 
0 
1 
0 
J. Mallendar . 
0 
5 
0 
W. Iceton 
... 
0 
5 
0 
E. K., Dublin . 
0 10 
0 
Proprietors of “ Amateur 
Brian Wynne . 
1 
1 
0 
Gardening” ... 
... 
1 
1 
0 
G. Trinder . 
0 
2 
G 
J. Laing & Sons... 
... 
1 
1 
0 
[The “Journal of Horticulture ” having been the means of enabling 
immediate wants being met during a sad and sorrowful time, warmly 
appreciates this effort on the part of press associates on behalf of the 
widow and children of a lamented coadjutor and estimable man. We 
shall be glad to forward any further sums that may reach us to the 
' treasurer of the fund.] 
