COLLECTIONS AND RECOLLECTIONS. 
507 
have pushed forth shoots about three inches, I then propagate them, 
by taking off each shoot and planting them in small pots. I place 
them in a frame where there is a gentle heat, until they are well 
rooted, which happens in about a fortnight or three weeks. Then 
they are removed into an old frame, and kept hardy with the weather, 
until the middle of May, when they are planted out. My soil is a 
very bad one, it is a blue clay, and therefore I make holes about two 
feet square and deep. I fill the holes with one half rich loam, and 
the other half of leaf earth, bog, and very rotten dung, mixed well 
together, which is done in the autumn before. Dahlias should be 
planted deep, for fear of a dry summer. When the plants exhibit 
flower buds, I take off all the small ones, leaving one or two on each 
stock, and cut off all useless shoots, Of some I leave only one main 
shoot from the bottom, and the side shoots trained like Esjmlier, of 
others I put three stakes in a triangular form, and tie tar cord round 
the stakes about a foot apart, thus forming a stand, and making them 
very secure from the wind. To make Dahlias flower finely, they 
must be kept thin of buds and shoots. J. Hammond. 
The First Introduction of the most kinds of plants and fruits 
into new settled countries, is always a subject of much curiosity. 
It therefore will, I doubt not, interest many of your readers to know 
the progress made in the propagation of some of the European plants 
at the New Colony at Swan River, in Western Australia. To those 
who may have connexions at that place, it will also be some gui¬ 
dance as to what kinds of plants it is desirable to send to that settle¬ 
ment. The following list is taken from the Western Australia 
Newspaper of March, 1833. 
The Vine grows very strong, that in the Botanical Garden appears 
to be the Royal muscadine. 
The Fig. Ficus cusica. Two varieties from the Cape of Good 
Hope are established in the Colony. 
The Peach. There are many seedling plants, a small plant of the 
Violette Hative has just reached the Colony, but is not yet esta¬ 
blished. Common Almond in great plenty from seed. 
The Apple. There are several sorts in the Colony, but the names 
are lost, except a small plant of the nonpariel just arrived. 
The Pear. The only pear-trees are seedling plants. 
Fragaria Virginica. Yirginean Strawberry variety very abun¬ 
dant in the Colony. 
The Plumb. The common Slow and Bullace, a small plant of the 
Orleans plumb has just arrived. 
The Olive. Four varieties well established. 
