268 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
December 24, 1898. 
Contributions from abroad are numerous. 
Luscious Pineapples, rich Bananas, Dates, Figs, and 
Oranges all help to furnish the dessert table, whilst 
consignments of Californian Pears, not bad eating by 
any means, may be observed here and there. 
The abundance and cheapness of this supply 
are items of considerable importance to the health of 
the nation at large, for fruit is at once one of the 
most delicious and most wholesome of diets. 
Children are proverbially fond of fruit, but pater¬ 
familias is not averse to it, and although he lays in a 
store at Christmas ostensibly for the olive branches, 
he will probably be able to account for his own share. 
-- 9 -- 
MELBOURNE BOTANICAL GARDENS. 
The Melbourne Botanical Gardens take somewhat 
the shape of a theatre, with this difference, that 
instead of having to tumble headlong from the 
" gods,” you could toboggan comfortably along a 
nice green sward into the lake, which may be 
supposed to represent the pit, or rather a wide open 
stage having the city for scenery in the background. 
If you can imagine Government House occupying 
the position of the upper box on the left, and a con¬ 
servatory that on the right, you are possessed of a 
rough idea of the shape and position of our Botanical 
Gardens. When I say that they have a northerly 
aspect, are well kept, have excellent lawns, that a 
fine birds’-eye view of the city can be obtained from 
them, that the lake is beautiful, and that with its 
islets thrown in, it possesses all the charms and 
most of the beauty attributed by our Sydney friends 
to their celebrated harbour, you have an idea of what 
we Melbournites think of our gardens. 
In the very short time at my disposal, I saw only 
one blemish in the whole arrangement, and that must 
have been caused by retrenchment —we are cele¬ 
brated for retrenchment, you know; just as we were, 
not many years ago, noted for our extravagance! Well, 
I object to barbed wires being stapled to trees, and 
especially British trees! If nailed to common 
Eucalyptus, why, I could overlook the matter—we 
can afford to lose a few of them. But the principle 
is not good all the same. I visited the gardens with 
a view to study, and being in a studious mood, I 
collected the names of a number of trees and plants, 
just to let you know what can be seen on a flying 
visit. 
Before proceeding to details, I may first tell you 
that the gardens are situated on the opposite bank, 
lower down the river, and about forty minutes' walk 
from the Government School of Horticulture. 
Approaching from the Richmond station, which is 
practically half way from the school, you have a 
walk through the park, which brings you to the Jarra 
bank. Here great works are in progress. The 
river is being straightened, and excavations on a 
large scale are being made. The river is crossed by 
an iron foot bridge, and the excavations by a tem¬ 
porary wooden structure. Immediately on the other 
side of the river is a very neat little lodge with an en¬ 
trance to the gardens. Turning to the right, and pro¬ 
ceeding along the lower walk, you skirt the lake, 
which is very prettily arranged, being dotted with 
islets, all covered with bloom at the present moment. 
I had not time to systematically visit each division. 
F simply jotted down the name of anything that 
caught my eye when passing round. You will not 
believe me when I say that in the collection of 
medicinal plants I found what was to tickle my fancy 
most. My attention got fixed somehow on an old friend 
in full bloom, and on inspecting the label I found the 
following—Cheirantnus Cheiri “ Common Wall¬ 
flower ”—" cleanses the blood and liver.” What do you 
think of that for a discovery ? Well, it encouraged 
me to go further. I found Ilex Aquifolium, Common 
Holly, emetic, diuretic, febrifuge; Lavandula vera, 
true Lavender, stimulant, carminative, aromatic; 
Anthyllis Vulneraria, Kidney Vetch, for staunching 
wounds; Prunus Laurocerasus, Common or Cherry 
Laurel, a sedative. When children, we are told, it 
was a deadly poison ! And last, but not least, I 
noted Camellia Bohea (Griffiths), syn. Thea chinensis 
(Linnaeus), syn. Camellia Thea (Link), Chinese tea 
plant, " Tonic, stimulant." It did not even mention 
afternoon tea! 
The Palms, which are growing in good position on 
the lawn, fairly captivated me. Several were in full 
bloom, and. others were just coming into flower. A 
noted Palm must take first place. It was planted on 
July 2nd. 1881, by H.R.H. Prince Edward of Wales, 
who was at that time midshipman on board H.M.S. 
Bacchante. It is a good specimen of the Trachycar- 
pusexcelsus.Tall HemporFan Palm. Thereisamuch 
larger one in the garden, however. Cocos flexuosa, 
bent-leaved Cocoanut Palm, tall specimen ; Ptychos- 
perma elegans, Bungalow Palm, in flower ; Latania 
Commersonii, Commerson's Fan Palm; Cocos 
plumosa, feathery Cocoanut Palm ; Livistona austra¬ 
lis, Australian Cabbage Palm ; Washington^ filifera, 
thread Palm ; Chamaerops humilis, dwarf European 
Fan Palm, just coming into flower; Jubaea specta- 
bilis, Chilian Treacle or Coquits Palm, trunk about 
4 ft. in diameter; Archontophoenix Alexandrae, 
Princess Alexandra’s Palm ; Phoenix reclinata, bent¬ 
leaved Date Palm; PhoeDix dactylifera, Common 
Date Palm, just coming into flower ; Diplothemium 
campestre, Paraguay Nut Palm; Phoenix canarien- 
sis, Canary Island Date Palm ; Phoenix sylvestris, 
East Indian Wine Palm, Wild Date or Sugar Palm, 
just comiDg into flower, a fine specimen occupying a 
good position on the lawn; and Macrozamia 
perowskiana, Giant Fern Palm, are all noteworthy 
specimens. 
I was much interested in the Tree Ferns, of which 
there are a good many fine specimens, and noted the 
following ;—Alsophila excelsa, Lofty or Norfolk 
Island Tree Fern, a number of very fine trees ; 
Cyathea dealbata, Silver Tree Fern; Dicksonia 
Youngiae ; Alsophila australis, the Hill Tree Fern ; 
Cyathea medullaris, black-stemmed Tree Fern, and 
a good specimen of Platycerium alcicorne, Elk-horn 
Fern. 
I next came to the division in which the group of 
Oaks is arranged. I first noticed Quercus lusitanica 
planted by the Countess of Hopetoun, March 26th, 
1895. Quercus paniculata, Panicled Oak; Quercus 
spicata, spiked Oak; Quercus robur, a fine tree, 
Cypress Oak ; Quercus Cerris, Devonshire or Exeter 
Oak; Quercus serrata, Woolly Oak; Quercus 
sonomentis, Upland Oak ; Quercus Cerris, Wainscot, 
Turkey or Bitter Oak, or Moss-cupped Oak ; Quer- 
cus robur var. pulverulenta, Powdery-leaved Oak ; 
Quercus coccinea, Scarlet Oak; Quercus virens, 
American Live Oak ; Quercus Sanzin, Hoary Oak ; 
and Grevillea robusta, Silky Oak, will give an idea of 
the collection generally. 
A large round bed containing an excellent assort¬ 
ment of Roses, all clean and healthy, next came 
under observation. The following are a few of those 
in flower :—Comtesse Horace de Choiseul, Due de 
Magenta, Rubens, Bougere, Souvenir d'Elise, 
Madame Dellespaul, Devoniensis, Bouton d’Or, 
Letty Coles, Adam, Safrano, Marie Van Houtte, 
Reve d'Or, Duke of Connaught, Waltham Climber, 
Comtesse Riza du Parc, Maria Nova, Miniature, The 
Bride, Souvenir de la Malmaison, Andre Schwartz, 
La Jonquille, Grace Darling, Souvenir de Rosieriste 
Rambaux, Goubault, Shirley Hibberd, Duke of 
Edinburgh, and Lord Tarquin. 
After leaving the Rose bed I wandered round and 
noted the following:—Araucaria Bidwillii (Hooker), 
Bunya Bunya Pine; Araucaria excelsa (R. Brown), 
Syn. Altingia excelsa (G. Don), Norfolk Island Pine ; 
Pinus halepensis, Jerusalem or Aleppo Pine; a fine 
tree of Pinus insignis, remarkable or Monterey Pine ; 
Agathis robusta, Queensland, Kauri or Dundathe 
Pine; Pinus excelsa, Lofty Bhotan Pine or 
Himalayan Weeping Fir; Podocarpus elata, Tall 
white or She Pine ; Araucaria Rulei, Rule's Pine; 
Araucaria Cookii, Captain Cook’s Pine ; Podocarpus 
dacrydioides, White Pine or Kahikatea of the 
Maoris; Gleditschia triacanthos, Three-thorned 
Acacia or Honey Locust tree ; Cedrus Deodara, Syn. 
Pinus Deodara (Roxburgh), Deodar or Indian Cedar 
or Fountain tree; in a fine position, Araucaria Cun- 
ninghamii, Moreton Bay Hoop Pine ; Cedrus Libani, 
Cedar of Lebanon; Sequoia sempervirens, Syn. 
Taxodium sempervirens, Californian Red-wood or 
Bastard Cedar ; Cedrus atlantica (fine tree), African 
Cedar; and Cedrela Toona, N. S. Wales and 
Queensland Red Cedar. 
(To be continued.) 
ROOT MANIPULATION OF FRUIT 
TREES. 
We often read about root pruning and other work 
associated with fruit trees. Often, too, is the infor¬ 
mation left out which is so desirable to the novice or 
young beginner. Merely to cut round a tree, 
leaving the top roots, or others, descending to the 
inert or wet, unhealthy soil, is fraught with little 
benefit to the tree. The surface roots should be cut 
as little as possible, but those on large old trees going 
downward from the air into unhealthy feeding 
quarters are better cut clean away. A tree may 
become too gross by rich surface dressings; but it is 
easy to avoid such. We have read often (and during 
this season too) that root pruning should “ be done in 
October, and onward through the winter.” It is our 
belief, when trees are too gross, and not fruitful, that 
root pruning should not be done later than Septem¬ 
ber, if such is practicable. If there is a crop of 
some value on the tree, such early root-pruning 
cannot profitably be put into practice. But from an 
experience (extending over many years) we think that 
the roots of trees may be partially pruned during 
July, and in August. Then, by lifting and replanting 
(piecemeal, of course) the roots may have careful 
attention. Plums, Cherries, Pears, and Apples 
treated thus have done capitally in soils, altitudes 
and districts very varied. We do not believe in 
starving trees, but strongly object to supply gross 
manure to them ; and prefer, when lifting is done, to 
work on two sides of the roots one year, and take in 
hand those on the other side the following season, if 
growth has not been sufficiently arrested. Roots of 
trees, which we have partially lifted and shortened 
in August, have emitted fresh fibres in abundance, 
and by October the soil has become matted with 
them. In certain cases we have lifted roots as early 
as June and July.— M. T ., Carron, N.B. 
-- 
ROAD AND PATH MAKING. 
Essay on the Construction and Maintenance 
of Roads and Paths in Parks and Gardens.* 
This subject may appear to some, at first sight, to 
be outside the province of practical gardening, but 
it certainly should not be ignored by any gardener, 
who is sure at one time or other to have the main¬ 
tenance, if not the construction, of paths ; therefore, 
it is very important to have some knowledge of it. 
Subjects of this kind are usually considered by 
young men as of no importance, but when they get 
the supervision of a garden they often regret that 
they did not avail themselves of such information. 
It is very essential that the paths in gardens 
should be in an efficient condition, so that they can 
be used with some degree of comfort in all weathers, 
but in how very few places do we find the paths in 
a passable state. Even where the flower garden is 
made a speciality one has to hobble over a lot of 
loose stones to get a view of the flower beds. In 
many places the system adopted is altogether a 
wroDg one. Even writers to the horticultural press 
frequently advise their readers fo turn the gravel, as 
they say, to give it a fresh appearance. This is 
usually recommended to be done late in the spring, 
so as to give the gravel a bright colour for the en¬ 
suing season. To break up the crust of the path 
like that means loose stones all the following sum¬ 
mer, as no amount of after attention can rectify 
such a mistake. Instead of breaking up the surface, 
do all you can to consolidate it by using a good 
roller on every opportunity, especially after heavy 
rains. 
The greatest roadmakers of ancient times were the 
Carthaginians, from whom the Romans learnt the 
art and science of road making, and improved upon 
their teachers. The great works of the Roman 
engineers in road making and drainage remain the 
wonder of the moderns after nearly two thousand 
years. The plan of construction pursued by the 
Romans in principle did not differ much from the 
art as we now find it. The foundation of the road 
was made by large stones bedded even, then covered 
with concrete, and dressed at the top with gravel. 
Strange to say, the father of English road making 
was a blind man of Yorkshire, named Metcalfe. 
This shrewd engineer was one of the many bright 
and illustrious examples of men whose mind and in¬ 
telligence have triumphed over afflictions which with 
other men would prove fatal to their advancement. 
Telford and Macadam were both great road makers. 
Scotland owes over a thousand miles of her roads 
to Telford. The Government recognised the great 
importance of Macadam’s services in improving 
roads by granting him /io.ooo from the public 
fund. 
Where there is, as in London and other great 
cities, very heavy traffic the wear and tear of the 
* Read at the meeting of the Chiswick Gatdeners’ Mutual 
Improvement Association, on the 8th inst., by Mr. W. B. 
Gingall, Superintendent of Ravenscourt Park. 
