502 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
plant covered a space from six to eight feet wide, on the 
same wall, and had, to all appearance, been established there 
for some years, but, upon inquiry, 1 was much surprised to 
hnd it had only been there two, having grown rapidly, and 
flowered abundantly so soon after planting. If these two 
plants thrive so well here, I cannot see why our floricultural 
friends in the southern and western counties of England 
should not be equally successful with them. 
Abutilon striatum (Sida piclum, of some), was also grow- 
lng on this border, and thriving to admiration, producing 
its fine large vine-shaped leaves, large in diameter, and num- 
beilcss pretty' bell-shaped flowers. I have seen this plant 
tiamed against a wall, in a sheltered situation, forming a 
most beautiful object. It is quite hardy enough to resist 
the winters of the Channel Islands, in sheltered situations, 
ancl well deserves a trial elsewhere. I think that a great 
many plants might be acclimatized and made to do well in 
the open air, if a fair trial were given to them which are 
given up under the impression “that it is not morally 
possible for them to do." 
riieie is a splendid large double while Camellia, twenty- 
five feet wide, twelve feet high, and two-and-a-half feet thick, 
giowmg against the same wall, which flowers most profusely 
during the winter and early spring months. I believe 
Camellias to be more hardy than Spanish Laurels, and the j 
only reason I have for not recommending them to be used ! 
as a shrub in plantations generally, is, that their blossoms 
are so beautifully delicate that they are injured by dews and i 
damp, as well as frost, but the plants would not suffer in I 
any way when they were well established. 
But the climax of the whole, and the object most worthy 
ot tins observation in this garden, was a magnificent Orange- 
tree, covering about the same length, on this southern wall, ' 
as the large white Camellia just mentioned, and not higher 
than the rest, because the wall was not higher at that 
particular part of it, but the top branches were throwing up 
fine strong shoots over the top of the wall, many inches 
long, and which I am satisfied would have extended beyond 
a foot, had not the cutting wind injured and stagnated their 
growth. The foliage on this remarkable plant was splendid, 
many of the leaves measuring from nine to ten inches 
long, and from three to four inches wide, and of a rich, dark 
green, colour. The -fruit hanging on the stem was remark¬ 
ably line, and I was informed that it ripened well, and was 
equal to any St. Michael’s Oranges introduced, as to flavour 
and juiciness. This is the finest specimen of an Oraime- 
tree 1 have ever had the pleasure of seeing in the open air, 
or even under glass, in any place I have visited. I have 
vxsrted. the Duchies of Normandy and Brittany, and know 
the Channel Islands well. I have travelled through the 
southern and western counties of England, and have always 
had an eye” to seeing any remarakable object in the 
horticultural and floricultural lines, but this excels them all • 
in fact, to persons feeling an interest in the adaptability of 
particular plants to particular purposes, or to particular 
localities, the plants on this wall are worth coming a distance 
to see. 
M ith the exception of these few specimens there was j 
nothing else remarkable in the gardens at “Beau Sejour." 
ihe house is an old-fashioned one, with small rooms 
narrow entrance, passages and staircases, small windows, : 
not prettily arranged, either as to external appearance or to 
internal comfort, he., according to the modern views of the 
“ time o-day.” 
An abortive attempt had been made to get the Araucaria I 
imbncata and Cedrus deodora to grow on the lawn in the 
front, of the house, but they neither Of them look “first 
rate.” Coniferous plants do not seem to grow so luxu¬ 
riantly in the Channel Islands as I could wish. I do not 
know where to find a handsome Larch in either of them, 
and am at a loss to account for it, unless the saline particles 
contained in the air have some influence in the solution of 
the problem.—C. B. S., Jersey. 
September 20. 
the plants were consigned. I recollect that the very argu¬ 
ments he urges, for securing a future supply of timber to 
that colony, were pressed on the attention of the New Zea¬ 
land Company here, a few years back, by an able contempo¬ 
rary in London. It is, indeed, marvellous that so many 
plants could have been sent for the sum of T12, includin'* 
all expenses, to the end of the journey ; and no less so, that 
almost all of them should arrive safe, after such a long 
voyage ! but the proof is before us, and no one need fear to 
risk such an enterprise in future, if he only goes the light 
way about it. A few pounds saved by attempting to pack at 
home is a questionable saving. It 'is much the cheapest 
way to do as I have done with these trees; not to put a 
hand to them yourself, but to give your order to a respect¬ 
able firm, who are well known to be successful in similar 
undertakings. I promised this report at the time, and I 
would have given it were the trees all dead — D. Beaton. 
SEND TNG PLANTS TO THE ANTIPODES. 
The following extracts, from two letters recently received 
lrom New Zealand, were made, at my request, for The Cot¬ 
tage Gardener, by a brother of the gentleman to whom 
EXTRACTS. 
The trees arrived by the Stately a short time ago, and, 
on being landed at Dunedin, were consigned to a gardener, 
tor the purpose of being put into fresh earth immediately, 
and to enable all that remained alive after the long voyage 
to recover themselves. I saw them lately at Dunedin, and 
am very happy to say that, with the exception of the Pines 
(evergreens), most of the others seemed to be doing well. 
.... -1 do not know anything, in fact, that would"’ have 
made a more valuable present, not only to myself, but to 
many others, and, in fact, to the whole public. For in 
showing them that trees may be brought in safety all that 
way, it may encourage some others to do the same. And 
though, at present, the want of wood may not be so much 
felt, yet 1 am often saying, that people should lose no time 
in making plantations of useful and quick-growing woods 
of which, I have no doubt, the want will be severely felt at 
no distant period. If you were to enter one of the New 
Zealand bushes, as the New Zealand woods are called, it 
would surprise you to see how little really serviceable wood 
one of them contains. A settler soon uses up the smaller 
trees for poles, to use in a great variety, of farm buildings 
and after that he is in great want of that description °of 
wood. And the large forest trees, for sawing, are by no 
means so abundant as might be supposed. So it results • 
from all, that whether people consult their own good, or 
that of future generations, they ought to lose no time in 
making plantations.” 
In another letter, he says, “ I think they are all, with 
I some exceptions, in a very good state of preservation. The 
Pine sorts, however, have given way; which the gardener 
explained to me as arising principally from this cause, that 
being evergreens they require a good deal more moisture 
: than most of the other trees. But such a collection of home 
| trees llas nev er been seen in Otago, and I doubt whether 
any one has ever brought any of the kind, except it may be 
; a lew specimens before. Many of them, I understand, can 
be propagated by layers and cuttings, and, I suppose, all by 
j seed—so that the collection is really invaluable. One thin" ! 
: deserves notice, that plants should not be packed in moist 
j earth, ns it endangers them from the liability to become 
rotten; at least, so I was told. It is said that some straw 
would do as well, and save a great expense, in freight; but 
who knows whether they would have been as well preserved 
or not ? ” 
The following extract also from a letter which I have just 
received will be read with interest by such of our cor¬ 
respondents as have friends in Australia and New Zealand. 
About this time, last year, we were arranging for gettin" off 
the large consignment of plants to which this letter refers 
and the details are given at page fifty-five of the eleventh 
volume of the Cottage Gardener. I am much gratified 
myself to hear that all the plants arrived in New Zealand in 
good order, and would advise that not a day should be lost 
now, by parties who intend shipping plants to those parts. 
I lie end of October is the best time in the year for sendin" 
off plants; but I have nothing to add to the details given 
this time last year. jq. Beaton. 
A gentleman of this neighbourhood (Exeter) is anxious 
to send out some trees to his sons in New Zealand, such as 
you were kind enough to order to be sent out to my brother 
last year. Would it be troubling you to ask you to send me 
