Febuu ary 2 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
351 
growths are, perhaps, curbed a little at first, after that little 
more is required, as the branches have not that tendency t,o 
entangle amongst each other, and got thick, as the Apple 
and Pear; for somo of the Cherries have an upright growth 
at first, and after having attained a certain height, they 
then, by then - own weight, gradually spread and bend down¬ 
wards. 
The kinds most grown are two or three Black Hearts , 
having local names; the Bigarreau, of which there are 
three or four apparent varieties; and the Kentish and 
Flemish , which are a distinct section from the others, and of 
which there are more than one kind of each. The Morello 
is not much grown, yet I do not know the reason why ; as a 
fruit it is, according to market prices, more than double the 
value of any other, the very earliest, perhaps, excepted. Some 
growers have also added to their stock the more reoent addi¬ 
tions to the garden varieties, as the Black Eagle, Tartarian, 
Ellon, Ac., but they have not become generalised yet: and, 
as I have before observed, new Orchards are but sparingly 
formed, it is doubtful whether they have that trial they 
seemingly deserve. 
In drawing this article to a close, I must not omit point¬ 
ing out the advantages of having a considerable number of 
Cherry-trees together; for the preservation of the fruit from 
birds is a matter not so easily effected, and it is quite as 
difficult to keep them away from one tree as from a hun¬ 
dred ; hence the advantage of having such a number toge¬ 
ther as will be worth the trouble of watching them, and 
there is no other way; and every gardener knows the diffi¬ 
culty of scaring these marauders away from such a tempting 
repast as ripe Cherries without the tolerable free use of 
gunpowder. Hence the advantage of having such a number 
of trees in one place as will afford koeping a vigilant watch¬ 
man on the look-out continually ; for these little depredators 
are up by early morn; and unless the produce be closely 
attended to, there will be few fit for use preserved from 
their rapaciousness ; and in an Orchard of somo acres of 
extent, netting and similar contrivances are out of the 
question. H. B. 
MORETON BAY IN AUSTRALIA. 
The letter of Edwin Smith, from South Australia, inserted 
at page 270, interested me much. I knew him and his 
father for many years; and, I might say, he left England 
from my house. He called on me among the very last he 
parted from; and I am very glad to hear he is likely to 
succeed. Here is another letter from a young gardener, a 
native of Perthshire, who went out from this place in 1852. 
The letter was read to me the other night by one of his 
friends here, and I asked permission to send a copy of it 
to the Cottage Gardener; if only to infuse a little more 
of the spirit of emigration into the mass of clever young 
gardeners, who have little chance here to succeed to good 
situations. For myself, if I were on the right side of forty, 
I would even throw up a good situation and be off, for the 
sake of poor relations, if not to rough it out for my own 
advantage.— D. Beaton. 
“ Kangaroo Point, Brisbane, Moreton Bay, Aug. 7, 1853. 
* * * * # * * 
“You will, no doubt, be inquiring what sort of a place 
this is for gardeners. Certainly there are not many fine 
gardens; still, I could have got X2 2s per week as the above. 
Put I have changed my occupation to that of a sawyer, as I 
can have X3 per week by working only five days a-week; and 
then not so hard as I used to do for 10s. per week. And 
were I to work only as day-labourer, I could get Xl 10s. per 
week, and no slave-driving here; Jack’s as good as his mas¬ 
ter. Provisions are as follows :—bread, Is. 3d. per 41b. loaf; 
beef, &c., 2d. per lb.; tea, Is. fid. per lb.; sugar, 3d. to fid. 
| per lb.; butter, Is. 3d. per lb.; cheese, (id. to 8d. per lb. 
I Clothing, about the same as at home; as its all light cloth¬ 
ing that is worn here, what would get a black coat, would 
dress you from top to toe. Glass and china are very high, 
and mostly all household furniture. The weather has been 
very dry these last two months, which is rare during the 
winter months; and when it does rain, it does in earnest; 
the winter crops are looking well, as the colder or winter 
months is the time to grow all hardy vegetables, such as 
Potatoes, Cabbages, Ac., and in the hotter or summer months 
the Vine, and the Pine, and, in fact, this place will grow 
any aud everything; only enter the dense scrub, there above 
your head is suspended the tender Orchid, while below your 
feet are entangled by Hoyas and Kennedyas ; in a word, this 
is the place to see the beauties of nature. But I must not 
overlook the natives as they lay about basking in the sun ; 
its a hard case to induce them to work, as they will tell you, 
“ white fellows work, black fellows eat.” Imustgive theladies 
the praise for making them useful. And what amuses me 
most, they cannot bear a sight of them when they first come, 
but the one lets the other know how to speak to them, so 
that for a sheep’s head, value 2d., you may have your cottage 
washed, water fetched, wood chopped, knives cleaned, shoes 
brushed, in fact, the Marys, as they call them, are the only 
servants. There is something strange in their nature, as 
they all leave the settlement just before sun down; and all 
Australia would not induce them to stop; they are a very 
timid kind of people after dark. Were you to visit them at 
their camp, the only request would be for some tobacco ; even 
in asking that they would only open one of their eyes, and if 
the answer is No, shut it directly. Ihave only sent you these 
few lines to let you know that we have reached the Antipodes 
safely, and, in a word, those that wish to do well cannot fail in 
so doing here, as a manfor from X20 to X30can clear a piece of 
land that would support a large family. There is no such 
thing as charging for pasture, the animals are only branded 
with the name of the owner. Horses, cattle, and sheep, 
there stay in the bush for years without ever inquiring after. 
I am living about three miles from Mr. Caldwell; he has a 
place about one mile from the settlement, and is doing very 
well. I will not advise any one to leave home; but this I 
know, there is plenty of work and plenty of money. Even 
a policeman gets X7 per month, with wearing apparel 
found. And as beautiful a country as ere the sun 
shone on. By the same post I am writing for all my brothers 
to come out; and, perhaps, in a few weeks more, you will 
hear of your humble servant plodding his way to the diggings 
to try his luck there. Should any of you wish to come, the 
passage is pleasant, and plenty requiring your service. No 
poor people here to crave assistance; all are able to have 
a leg of mutton for dinner. Joseph Gr aha m.” 
THE RIGHT AND WRONG WAY OF 
PLANTING. 
It is now just twenty years ago since I inclosed a strip of 
land, by the side of a road, on very clayey, wet, and indifferent 
subsoil. It was about two hundred yards long by about 
five wide; I posted, and railed it, and quick'd it. My first 
operation was to put a tile drain under it the whole length, 
about two and three feet deep; the fall was enough, and 
barely enough. I then trenched the whole of the ground 
about three feet deep; I had a fine old fellow about seventy 
years old (who was a “navvy” in his younger days), living 
in a cottage of mine hard by, and I allowed him to do just 
as he liked with my little inclosure. It amused him, and 
kept him, which was my object. Every grinning blockhead 
who passed by had something to say about my buying the 
land dearly; but some had the good sense to admit that i 
what I was doing was right, and would “ stand for the job,” if ; 
it did not pay me. My object was to do the land well, or it j 
would not have been worth doing at all, and betterleft unin¬ 
closed. I then planted a belt of trees upon it, consisting of 
Fir, Larcli, Oak, Birch, Ac. The plantation has grown to be 
tbe surprise of all who knew its origin : it is beautiful. 
Now for the contrast. A neighbour, at the same time, 
inclosed a similar piece of land, and stuck in his trees any 
how ; without draining, or trenching, or hardly digging, 
except a hole; and they present a miserable spectacle and 
contrast; and, I mean to say, that it would bo better even 
now for him to pull them up, and to follow my plan ; that 
is to say, if he means to have a good and thriving plantation 
at all. The question in these matters is this : does a man 
mean to accomplish that which he seems to be attempting ? 
If he does, let him go the right way to work; if not, let 
him leave it alone. Mr. Appleby’s most timely letters on 
planting forest trees have led me to make these remarks. 
