JUNE. 
165 
land continued so unusually high. An eastern aspect having a little 
declivity is the most eligible for fruit gardens. It is invariably found 
that upon naturally sandy poor soils fine fruitful orchards can be esta¬ 
blished under good management when the choice loamy deep soils are 
not available. Ihe deep alluvial cool soils along the river banks are 
very suitable for all kinds of stone fruit; and rich gravelly bottoms of 
the hill sides for Apple, Pear, Quince, Mulberry, &c. None of the 
small English fruits, such as Gooseberry, Currant, Raspberry, or Straw¬ 
berry succeed well, except in cooler valleys or mountainous elevations, 
where they always attain the highest perfection for quality and produc¬ 
tiveness. A few remarks on the leading kinds of fruits will assist in 
judging of their comparative value in the colony. The Loquat trees 
delight in warm gentle slopes of hills on good soils, where they produce 
in some seasons very good crops of fine large well-flavoured fruit. 
Quince, Walnut, Chestnut, Apple, Pear, Peach, Nectarine, Apricot, 
Cherry, Plum, are common. Figs grow to perfection, some varieties 
bearing’two or three crops in the year freely ; the leading varieties are 
green and white Provence, green and brown Ischia and Smyrna. It 
may be expected that dried colonial Figs will eventually supersede those 
imported. Orange and Lemon trees: Although there are some few 
Orangeries in favourite spots in the vicinity of Melbourne, yet they are 
generally planted in smaller quantities in the warm places of orchards, 
or in clumps on lawns, more for the sake of ornament and variety than 
for profitable purposes. The Vine ; Amongst the branches of industry 
yet to be extensively developed the cultivation of the Vine will be one 
of the most important in this colony. The climate throughout the 
greater part of our territory being exquisitely adapted for the growth 
of Vines, although the severity of hot winds and blight has, during 
showery seasons, in some localities, affected the Vines. The vineyards 
hitherto established in various parts of Victoria comprise approximately 
an area of 600 acres. It seems, however, that their extent is annually 
increasing without a corresponding increase in wine manufacture, and 
thus the market is more plentifully supplied in Melbourne with table 
Grapes—prices ranging Irom \\d. to fits?, per lb. There have been 
instances this season of an average weight of 25 lbs. of fruit on Vines 
three and four years old, bunches attaining a weight of upwards of 
lbs. 
Gladly would we continue the sensible remarks of Mr. Smith if our 
space would permit, for it is impossible not to feel deeply interested in 
whatever relates to our colonies, and especially to Melbourne, so many 
of our personal friends having made that their future home. 
A SPECIMEN FERN. 
Though we searched all Europe over, we should probably not find 
another plant which could rival the magnificent specimen of Angiopteris 
evecta which occupies the centre of the tropical fernery in the Royal 
Botanic Gardens of Kew. This gigantic plant is of such colossal pro- 
