514 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Nov., 1899. 
514. 
AN OLD ORANGE-TREE. 
Tue oldest orange-tree in France has just died; this is an item recently found 
in the “Press Miscellany.” If true, it is interesting as showing the very great 
age to which an orange-tree may attain under favourable conditions. The details 
as published are as follow :-— 
Tt was brought to France with several others in 1421, by Queen Leonore 
of Castile, the wife of Charles III. of Navarre, and in 1684 Louise XIV. ordered 
that it be transplanted to the orange grove in Versailles, and there it has 
remained eyer since. During the last two centuries the tree has been known as 
the “Grand Bourbon,” and for many years every possible care has been taken 
to preserve it from decay. Now it has passed away at the great age of 478 
years, and many Parisians who knew it well are sorry that they will never again 
see this stately ornament of the Versailles Gardens. 
BUTTER AND MALTING BARLEY. 
Durie last year 436 tons of butter, valued at £37,586, were exported from 
Queensland. 
In 1898 the malt and malting barley imported into Queensland was of the 
value of £46,000. 
; PRICE OF MAIZE. 
Maizz, owing to the shortage of shipments from America, has risen io 4s. per 
bushel, and unless supplies come from some unexpected’ source a further 
advance may be confidently looked for. In the face of this, on the 13th 
October, in Sydney, 1,138 sacks of New York maize were sold with all faults by 
auction in one lot. The lot was knocked down for 8s.! The sacks averaged 
about 34 bushels each. 
AGRICULTURAL AND HORTICULTURAL SHOWS. 
‘Tie Editor will be glad if the secretaries of Agricultural and other Societies 
will, as early as possible after the fixture of their respective shows, notify him 
of the date, and also of any change in date which may have been decided on. 
