~~ 8mall garden. 
May t, 1903. 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
Naturally it requires a very large number 
of Poppies to cause such results, and the 
handful of blossoms cultivated in our gar- 
lens can scarcely be called dangerous. In 
Asia Minor, however, where large fields of 
Poppies are cultivated for their opium, 
tourists. have often been miserably ill for 
hours after inspecting the plantations, and 
two cases of death among English tourists 
were traced to this cause last year. The 
Primula, too, which is such a fayorite 
flower, should only be handled with ex- 
treme care. One variety, known as 
Obconica, is so dangerous that if there is a 
scratch or a prick on the hands when 
touching it an unsightly skin disease is 
certain to appear, accompanied by a pain- 
ful itching. This spreads to the body, and 
is, as far as we know, incurable. Some- 
timcs, however, it takes the form of 
erysipelas. This kind of primula, which 
is known as that of “Baby,” because of 
its numerous small Primrose-shaped 
flowers, on this account had better be 
Severely left alone. 
@BSSSESES © 
SELECTION OF TREES FOR THE 
SMALL GARDEN. 
Trees hayé a use beyond their decora- 
tive value; they supply the welcome and 
necessary shade, but this in the small 
town garden should be in proportion to the 
limited space ; and trees should be planted 
with careful attention to this point. We 
Sometimes see some large and wide-spread- 
ing forest tree usurping almost the whole 
Space; and, in addition, darkening every 
roo looking out upon it. Perhaps, of all 
Suitable trees, the Silver Birch has more 
lo recommend it than any others. It is 
Singularly graceful in its habit of growth ; 
it is one of the most beautiful of trees, 
especially at the time that it bursts into 
leaf; and its shade is less dense than is 
Usually the case with forest trees, while 
in autumn its glowing tints make a, beau- 
tiful picture. What a pity it is that the 
Sreat beauty of this tree is often hidden 
when used within the garden limits! ‘Lhe 
irch tree, more than most trees, requires 
to be seen full length, and not hidden for 
19 or 12 feet by an under planting of 
Shrubs. Cut down the shrubs, and in 
their place, if you will, plant Foxgloves 
4d common Fern, and the beauty of your — 
birch tree will be increased a hundred- 
fold—“The Gardener.” 
PEOSOCOSO > 
THR FERN BEECH | 
is a subject greatly deserving of notice. 
“Its deeply cut foliage makes it highly pic- 
turesque. This tree makes charming 
8teenery for house decoration during the 
Summer, and on that account alone might 
Well be the representative tree of the 
Answers to Correspondents. 
FLOWERS. 
Lift Dahlias when their tops are dead, 
and store ina dry place. A start to dig 
flower borders may be made this month, 
giving well rotted manure where required. 
Roses that have lost their leaves may be 
shifted with safety towards the end of the 
month ; also shrubs and trees. Plant out 
first sowing of hardy annuals. 
KurcHEN. 
Cut down Asparagus as soon as the tops 
have withered, and give a good dressing 
of well-rotted stable manure, and fork in 
lightly. Plant cabbage and cauliflowers, 
sows peas and broad beans for a succession, 
also carrots, parsnips, onions, &c., if not 
sown last month; thin crops in good time, 
and keep free from weeds, and the soil 
well pulverised. Earth up celery, attend 
to rhubarb and sea-kales; clear away all 
dead leaves, and give a good dressing of 
manure. 
“ Watnur.’—The botanical name of 
the Walnu‘, (ie. “foreign nut”), is 
Juglans regia—Juglans being ‘‘Jovis_ 
glans,” so that the Walnut is the “ Royal 
nut of Jupiter.” It is a native of Persia — 
and of the Himalayas, and is the type of 
the order. The wood, it is well known, 
is esteemed for furniture and gun-stocks, 
and every one who gathers the’ nuts 
knows that the husk yields a dye that 
stains the skin too permanently. Ifapiece 
of the husk when fresh is tasted, it ‘stings 
the tongue like mustard, and this acridity 
successfully protects the growing seed 
from birds and insects.. From the sap of 
the tree su zar is made, and from the seed 
a useful oil is expressed. An infusion of 
the leaves is rec ymmen led to disguise the 
taste of cod-liver oil. If the nut be 
gathered before it is ripe, the husk does 
not separate from the shell, but if left on 
th tree the husk splits irregularly and 
the nut falls. Ifthe husk be now exam- 
ined it will be seen that on its inner 
surfice.a net has been formed which acts 
as a separating layer. : 
“SprreA.”—Yes, Spireas are very easily 
grown, and amongst the most profuse and 
elegant blooming shrubs. We recommend 
the varieties, Van -Houteii, Thumbergii, 
Paniculata rosea, and Rotundifolia. 
® Onnate.”—We agree with you that 
ornamental grasses are not sufficiently 
grown. We would advise chenille grass 
(Chloris latifolia), Zebra grass (Eulalia 
Japonica zebrina), Cat's tail grass (Penni- 
setum villosum), and the Himalaya fairy 
grass (Miscanthus Nepalense). 
“Scavenger.” —Pigs areexcellent scaven- 
gers foran orchard, but we have seea sheep 
recommended as better. 
“Carnation.”—The disease is anthrac- 
nose. It is.afungus, and weak dilution of 
Bordeaux is recommended as a_ preven- 
tion, Bar Setils 
13 
‘The Forest Flora | of New 
youth Wales, 
“2OSSs= 
By J. H. Maren. 
We are pleased to receive from the pen 
of Mr. J. H. Maiden, Part'I. of the “Forest 
Flora of New South Wales,” published 
under authority of the Hon. the Secretary 
for Lands by the Forest Department of 
New South Wales. The Government Bo- 
tanist of New South Wales is the acknow- 
ledged authority on forest flora in the Com- - 
monwealth, and a publication in this form 
is heartily weleome. It is absolutely true, 
as he says, “that nought but good can 
spring from an extended knowledge of 
these trees and of the timbers and other 
products yielded by them, The object of 
this work is to depict the botanical charac- 
ters of each tree, and-to furnish all the 
available information in regard to it. 
There is no doubt that residents in the 
bush will weleome means of testing the 
information thus given and of adding to 
the stock of knowledge. This country has 
been settled for little more than a century, 
and the greater part of it for less than 
that. We possess a large endemic vege- 
tation, and it is not a matter for surprise 
that our knowledge of many of our trees 
comes far short of those of longer settled 
countries: When we have precision in the 
discrimination of our-trees and of our tim- 
bers accurate knowledge of them by the 
timber-getter, _saw-miller, timber  mer- 
“chant, and user generally will advance by 
Jeaps and-bounds. . Some of the trees are 
remarkable for their beauty, and many 
“of them are of high botanical interest, 
Large numbers of them have already been 
proved to be of considerable economic im- 
portance.’ Mr,-Maiden’s observation is 
timely, that “it is a fact that exotic trees 
are often cultivated simply- because their 
seeds are. more -readily - obtainable than 
‘those of the native species.” We should 
like to emphasise this remark; and. point 
‘out how peculiar it is that so few of our 
native trees and shrubs are brought under 
cultivation. This, we think, is very, lar- 
gely due to lack of information on the part 
of city and suburban gardeners, and also 
we think large fault lies with those in the 
nursery trade, who have special opportuni- 
ties for bringing under the notice of gar- 
déners our native beauties. In this con- 
nection we might mention incidentally 
the Grevilleas, Hakeas, Myrtles, and 
Acacias. But with a practical eye to busi- 
ness, Mr. Maiden further remarks that 
with regard to their timber qualities, have 
we not much to learn as to their durability 
for fencing and mining. And, he might 
also have added, railways, wharfs, jetties, 
and building. But, he proceeds, have we - 
not much to learn of the adaptability of 
our timbers to 
uses, and in regard to special uses he draws _ 
~some of the commonest _ 
