1881. ] 
GARDEN GOSSIP. 
187 
paying an interest on the outlay.” And again, as 
affecting another class, he observes :—“ Looked at 
socially, fruit-growing is a very important gain for 
the labouring classes.” Mr. Bunyard goes very 
closely into the practical part of the question, and 
inculcates the doctrine that “ in market-growing for 
profit, we shall have to grow such kinds as will pay, 
and also send to market fruit, as we think, in a very 
unripe condition and he also reminds his readers 
of the immense quantity of fruit which is manu¬ 
factured into jam, the growth and gathering of 
which, while it finds employment for the labouring 
population, brings a handsome return to the fruit 
farmer. Besides the general questions of soil, shelter, 
culture, planting, pruning, &c., the different kinds of 
hardy fruits are treated on in separate chapters, in 
which a body of useful information will be fouud. 
Mr. Bunyard’s advice is to “ plant fruit trees ;” and 
this manual tells how, and when, and where to do it, 
the kind of trees to plant on particular soils, and 
the prices that may be and are realised for the 
produce. From these figures, the reader is led to 
infer that fruit-growing pays, though the author tones 
down his statements, by observing that, “ although 
fabulous prices'ai’e made, the seasons for two or 
three years may be adverse, and actual loss may be 
incurred ; ” but then, “ the average prices realised 
are very regular, as the higher prices in a scarce 
year compensate for deficient quantity.” We believe 
this is a little book which may be recommended to 
the serious consideration of all persons who are 
interested in the beneficial cultivation of our native 
soil, as a fair, and certainly not unfavourable, ex¬ 
ponent of the subject to which it is devoted. 
— (Considerable attention is being paid 
to the subject of Forest Destruction in 
Australasia, a question of paramount import¬ 
ance to the Colonies, not only as regards the supply 
of timber, but as affecting very materially the rain¬ 
fall and water supply. In New Zealand, the Kawri 
pine is being fast exterminated. Dr. Hector has 
pointed out that the average aunual destruction of 
the New Zealand forests, during the thirty-eight 
years terminating in 1868, was at the rate of 23 per 
cent.; while, in the succeeding five years, 20 per 
cent, in addition was destroyed of what remained. 
In Victoria, New South Wales, and South Australia, 
the evils arising from reckless and wholesale de¬ 
forestation are beginning to make themselves felt in 
iucreased dryness of climate, longer droughts, and 
more numerous bush-fires. A proposal has been 
made in South Australia by Mr. Goyder, the 
Surveyor-General of the Colony, to carry out a 
systematic course of tree-planting, by reserving a 
block of 200,000 acres, and spending on it £14,500 
during the first year, and £10,500 during each of 
the following eleven years, thus making the expen¬ 
diture £130,000, by the time that the whole 200,000 
acres were properly fenced in and planted. During 
the first five years there would not be any revenue, 
but in the succeeding ones the returns from period¬ 
ical thinniugs might be estimated at £35,000 per 
annum, until the end of the twenty-first year, when 
the colony would be in possession of 200,000 acres, 
or 310 square miles, of forest. This scheme might 
probably be successfully modified, by making the 
areas smaller, and increasing their number, so as to 
admit of dispersing them in different localities, 
which would exert a more beneficial influence on the 
climate and rainfall of the interior. 
— ®wo meetings have this year been held 
at Chiswick for the Trial of Potatos. At 
the first meeting, the Committee highly ap¬ 
proved the following varieties for their cropping 
qualities and handsome appearance:—Lye’s Prolific, 
Garnett’s Seedling, The Druid, No. 1 (Fenn), No. 3 
(Fenn), Avalanche, Alderman, No. 6 (Fenn), Surrey 
Gate-post, Beauty of Kent, Farren’s No. 1, Foster’s 
Seedling, Standard (Fenn), Lord Mayor, American 
Seedling, Bedfont Prolific, Matchless, White Em¬ 
peror, Criterion, Manhattan, No. 5 (Fenn), Mr. 
Bresee, Alpha, Triumph, and No. 30 Band’s Seedling 
(Bliss); and they awarded First-class Certificates to 
the following, on their being subjected to the test of 
cooking :—Garnett’s Seedling, a large flat white kid¬ 
ney ; Standard (Fenn), a medium-sized round white ; 
Lord Mayor (Dean), a very handsome rough-skinned 
white ; Foster’s Seedling, a large white round rough ; 
No. 5 (Fenn), a large, very handsome pale red 
kidney, resembliug Mr. Bresee, remarkably fine in 
quality; Matchless (Bliss), a half-round, very hand¬ 
some pale-pink American variety. 
— $(.t a subsequent meeting, held on 
November 3rd, several further Potatos were 
selected as good cropping, very handsome, and 
distinct kinds, and on being cooked, the follow¬ 
ing awards were made :—First-class Certificates to, 
—Forty fold White (Farquhar), large round white ; 
Vermont Champion (Bliss), large round white; 
Queen of the Valley (Bliss-Hooper), large and 
oblong pale pink; Adirondack (Bliss-Hooper), 
medium round white, tinged pink; Brownell’s No. 
11 (Bliss), large roundish white; Victoria Kidney 
(Edwards), large flat white; Rand’s No. 30 (Bliss), 
large oblong white; Rand’s No. 12 (Bliss), large 
long flat white. Second-class Certificates to:— 
Criterion (Ross), round white; Sir Walter Raleigh 
(Ross), large round white; Trophy (Bliss), large 
kidney-shaped red ; Vicar of Laleham (Dean), large 
round purple; White Elephant (Daniels), large 
long flaked ; Victoria alba (Donaldson), large round 
white, purple eye; St. Patrick (Daniels), large 
long w r hite. We do not see what is wanted with 
second-class varieties. 
— ©ne of the most strikingly handsome of 
the now fashionable Single Dahlias, is Mr. 
Ware’s White Queen, which may be described 
as of dwarfish, spreading habit, about three feet in 
height and nearly as much across, compactly 
branched, and producing a great abundance of 
flowers. The Garden mentions a plant, of which a 
woodcut figure was given in that journal, as having 
had 175 buds and expanded flowers upon it. The 
flowers are somewhat nodding, of large size, with a 
well-developed ray of broad, white florets, whioh 
are most attractive, either when seen closely or from 
a distant part of the garden. In the cut state, they 
last in good condition for three or four days, if 
placed in a cool room. From its conspicuous 
character, it is well adapted for large beds on lawns, 
or for masses in any prominent arrangement of 
autumn flowers, where the bulk of the plant admits 
of its being appropriately introduced. 
— Fn reference to Calanthe Veitchii, Mr. 
H. Knight (late of Floors, now of Greenlands, 
Henley-on-Thames) draws attention to the 
great difference there is between the two varieties 
which are in cultivation, the dark, rose-pink variety 
being much superior to the lighter one, which latter 
he has found to be a more delicate grower. The 
infei’ior sort is easily distinguished by a sudden con¬ 
traction which occurs about the middle of the 
pseudobulb. No more lovely or effective flowering 
plant for decorative purposes can be desired, or 
