314 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
Cl 
January 12, 1895. 
deep, and are covered with earth to the depth 
of probably 2 ins. The way of sowing re¬ 
quires a great deal of time and is very inconvenient, 
rendering the digging difficult, and yields only a 
small production. The preference is given to sowing 
in rows, which may be done at the same time as the 
last ploughing or even after harrowing. In the first 
place a woman follows the plough and drops the 
Lentil seeds as regularly as possible in the rows; 
they sow only every other line, so as to obtain 
sufficient space between the rows of plants. I he 
Lentils mature about the end of July, and the 
returns are from twenty-eight to about forty bushels 
per hectare (2-47 acres). 
The small red Lentil is generally used as fodder 
for animals, and is sown broadcast. The green, or 
Puy Lentil, is highly thought of in the south of 
France; it is an important culture all over the 
Auvergne province. It grows at a considerable 
altitude. The ground is generally prepared in the 
autumn or during the winter even when the snow is 
on the ground. The United States Consular agent 
at Calais says that in the north of France large 
quantities of Lentils are cultivated for animal food, 
especially for horses. 
On almost every northern farm they sow in 
September a mixture called Hivernache, com¬ 
posed of one-half of Rye, one-fourth of Vetches, 
and one-fourth of Lentils. The crop is ripe in July, 
and in the autumn is reported to be one of the best 
stimulants for horses when they have the heaviest 
work to do. This mixture offers great advantages 
because the Rye has grain at the top of the bunch, 
Vetch in the middle, and the Lentils about a foot 
high give rich food at the bottom of the bunch, 
where the straw has rarely any nutritive qualities. 
Sometimes cows are fed with this Hivernache when 
the meadow grasses are scarce and poor, and the 
milk is at once more plentiful and richer in butter. 
—Society of Arts Journal. 
-- 
FRUIT GROWING IN 
AUSTRALIA, 
At a recent meeting of the Balloon Society at the 
Gallery, Conduit Street, under the presidency of 
Mr. J. E. Vincent, F.R.G.S., Chief Commissioner 
for the Australian Irrigation Colonies, Mr. James 
Stevens delivered a lecture on " Fruit Growing 
in Australia.” There was a numerous attendance of 
members. The chairman claimed for these now ex¬ 
tensively developed settlements that they were no 
longer in the experimental stage, but had reached 
the poiDt of complete and recognised successful de¬ 
monstration. After some six or seven years since the 
commencement of the planting of Vines, Citrus fruits, 
Olives, Apricots, and other fruits, the first substan¬ 
tial output was made last year, amounting to nearly 
£50,ooo. 
This year the output would be doubled, and it 
would go on in similarly increasing proportions 
from year to year, until, as was now beginning to be 
predicted, from this comparatively new and un¬ 
known resources of productive capability, Australia 
and her people would derive more substantial and 
enduring profit and advantage than from her gold¬ 
fields or any other line of production. Experts from 
France were now being employed in the manufacture 
of wine, and with such excellent results that 
even Frenchmen themselves, like Max O’Rell, were 
constrained to declare that “ in twenty years 
Australia would be sending her wines to the four 
corners of the world,” and such was the increase in 
the power of production by means of irrigation that 
the previously arid, but otherwise most suitable soils 
on the banks of the river Murray would amply reward 
the skilful grower at a price as low as 6d. or gd. per 
gallon. 
It was, indeed, very possible that Mr. Glad¬ 
stone might yet live to see the fulfilment of Mr. 
Cobden's anticipations when he negotiated the treaty 
of commerce with France admitting her light wines 
at a low rate of duty, and witness the working men 
of England in daily consumption of the temperance- 
conducing light wines of Australia instead of the 
intoxicating spirits and heavy beers which they now 
indulged in so exclusively. The extensive wine- 
yards and other cultivations which had been esta¬ 
blished on the river Murray had already proved 
that excellent light wines of claret and burgundy 
character, in true purity and soundness of quality, 
could be, and now were actually being, produced at 
the irrigation colonies; that Oranges and Lemons 
inferior to none in the world were being raised in 
abundance ; that Currants and Raisins, Olive oil, 
pure Grape brandy, Apricots, Peaches, Figs, indeed, 
nearly, if not all, the most valuable fruits of com¬ 
merce, were now produced and would be producible 
for the colonial, English, and foreign markets in any 
required quantities. At the irrigation colonies many 
hundreds of Britons had found a congenial home and 
occupation, and plenty of scope for their enterprise, 
capital, and intelligence; while British manu¬ 
facturers found a substantial and ever-widening 
field for their machinery and goods of all descrip¬ 
tions ; and last, though not least, the British 
investor found that such enterprises as these 
valuable productive colonies represented were adding 
materially to the basis of the security upon which 
he had lent his money to Governments, urban com¬ 
munities, &c., since they did not merely absorb the 
capital which he advanced, often with more or less 
misgiving, but honestly earned, and easily bore 
the burden of the interest at which it was borrowed 
—points which were not always sufficiently thought 
of. 
Mr. Stevens then gave a descriptive account of 
the settlements and of their progress up to the latest 
date, exhibiting by an oxy-hydrogen lantern a very 
large collection of photographic views of the vine¬ 
yards and plantations, revealing the extraordinary 
growth of the trees, their size and bearing capacity 
from year to year after being planted; the pleasant 
and picturesque homes of the settlers ; the flourish¬ 
ing towns of Mildura and Renmark, with the coffee 
palaces, State schools, post offices, public halls, 
churches, chapels, stores, shops, and other places of 
business. 
The area [under direct cultivation consisted 
of upwards of 10,000 acres at Mildura, spread¬ 
ing over country some ten miles in diameter, showing 
long lines and avenues of trees in various stages of 
growth and many in bearing—the whole of the work 
thus illustrated having been accomplished within 
the last seven years, previous to which the country 
was devoid of population and almost of life-sustaining 
vegetation. The population of the two settlements 
now numbers between 4,000 and 5,000. 
-+- 
HERBACEOUS SPIRAEAS. 
Following my recent note upon our shrubby 
Spiraeas I now name a few of the most useful 
herbaceous species. 
S. Aruncus, or the Goat’s Beard, is one of the 
most showy. Extensively distributed over Asia, 
Europe, and N. America, it thrives in many variations 
of climate and soil. It is consequently a very easily 
managed flower, and produces quantities of its long, 
feathery spikes throughout summer and early 
autumn. These are pure white and fragrant. Unless 
we give it a fair amount of space and good soil we 
do not realise what beauty it is capable of develop¬ 
ing into. In a semi-wild part of a large pleasure 
garden it is simply grand. 
S. astilboides is a moisture-loving plant, and 
thoroughly distinct from all others. The flowers 
are not a pure white, but are closely packed upon 
many-branched stems. On the larger rockeries or 
for mixed borders it is very useful. In the cool 
house, also, it is not to be despised, but I do not 
find it so amenable to forcing as we were led to 
believe upon its introduction. 
S. japonica, or Hotea japonica as it is now classed, 
is well known as the most generally useful of our 
meadow sweets. With plenty of water and steady 
treatment at first, this will force admirably, and is, 
in fact, one of our most popular early spring flowers. 
When growing in a sheltered spot near water, or in 
moist, rich soil, it is sometimes very pretty outside. 
As a general rule, however, this, like the Deutzia 
gracilis, gets nipped by our late frosts, and quite 
spoilt when compared to our plants beneath glass. 
S. palmata is not so robust as we would desire, 
and like the former is almost semi-aquatic. It is 
good near a pond or stream, and its huge panicles of 
deep crimson flowers are most showy, provided a 
moist root-run is found. It is less liable to spring 
injuries than japonica, but greatly resents a dry or 
starved soil. 
S. lobata is after the same class of plant and 
flower, but the colour varies from pale crimson to 
almost white ; indeed, there are many varieties that 
closely approach one another, but perhaps those 
already named, with S. filipendula purpurea and S. 
Ulmaria, are the best. 
But we must not forget the large type of meadow 
sweet that was introduced during the present decade, 
and which grows from 6ft. to 8 ft. high. It is a 
grand thing, but needs much room, and will be out 
of place in a small garden.— Experience. 
-+.- 
FERNS FOR CUTTING. 
Of late years foliage of many kinds has become 
more popular throughout all floral decorations, and 
we seldom meet the glaring mass of colour that pre¬ 
vailed far too much a few years back. When we 
bear this in mind it is only natural that Ferns for 
cutting should be in constant demand. Then we 
can have such a choice of form, one which is most 
surprising to those who looked upon our Maidenhair 
as almost the only one fitted for this purpose. In 
truth it is by no means the best, although the 
popular idea will make it the most grown for many 
years yet. What is wanted in cut fronds of Ferns 
is hardy and matured growth. They may be hurried 
on while the fronds are young, but previous to cutting 
they should receive much cooler treatment, without 
this precaution the majority will not stand well. 
We all know how much better some stand than 
others, and there is little doubt but what partial 
hardening off is the chief point. Gradually hardened 
and fully exposed to light, there are many very beau¬ 
tiful Ferns that are seldom used in a cut state which 
are admirably adapted for the purpose. Adiantum 
elegans is an improvement upon A. cuneatum, both 
in early growth, better shape of frond as a whole, 
and greater size. Then we have A. decorum and A. 
scutum. If A. Williamsi is treated as advised, the 
boldly handsome and large fronds stand well. Then 
what a quantity of Pterises we have. In the 
serrulata section alone there is vast variety. We 
may have many sizes and forms. P. straminea is 
good. 
In the Nephrolepsises we get beautifully long and 
upright fronds ; they stand well. A few of the best 
are N. tuberosa, N. exaltata, N. rufescens tripinnati- 
fida, and N. davallioides furcans. 
Davallias, again, give us very lasting fronds and of 
stout character. D. elegans, D. Mariesi, D. bullata, 
and others might be used. Then the strong growing 
climbing Fern Lygodium japonicum, sometimes con¬ 
fused with the Scandens variety, is also very useful 
for festooning when grown in the same way as 
Smilax and Asparagus—on strings. Nor must we 
forget our hardy Ferns, many of which can 
favourably compare with more than one of our 
greenhouse species. Less flower and more foliage 
has a pleasing effect, and is far beyond the old style 
of massing colours.— Experience. 
--j-- 
NIGHT SCENTED STOCKS. 
Mathiola Bicornis. —All lovers of sweet scented 
flowers should grow a few of these. Those who 
have no particular liking for sweet scents may, how¬ 
ever, well pass pass it by, for beyond the most 
delicious perfume emitted during the evening and 
on through the night till the dawn of day, there 
is nothing to repay for the growing of it, the flowers 
being small and of a dirty brown colour, and the 
plant itself at its best presents a somewhat weedy 
appearance. A few plants placed in a dwelling- 
room or Conservatory on a festive occasion, in the 
absence of other odoriferous plants, owing to their 
insignificant appearance will often arouse the curi¬ 
osity of strangers to it, as to where the scent comes 
from. During warm summer evenings it is partic¬ 
ularly pleasant. The plant is nearly hardy and will 
withstand the frost of mild winters ; but a constant 
succession should be kept up by striking a few 
every spring in sandy soil in a cold pit or frame, 
keeping close for a short time. They root readily, 
and when rooted should be potted off and grown on 
into 48 ’s. A few may be planted out and a reserve 
kept for indoor use.— W. B. G. 
--*•- 
Protecting Plants, Frames, etc. — Too 
much stress cannot be laid upon the great 
desirability of keeping all covering material as dry 
as possible. The security of the inmates of any un¬ 
heated frame from frost does not depend upon the 
quantity of covering accorded, so much as upon the 
capabilities of the covering with regard to the exclu¬ 
sion of frost, and this is decided in a great measure 
by the dryness of the material used. 
