496 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  ANT)  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
May  28.  1898. 
Bhould  be  grown  in  quantity  ;  blue,  purple,  mauve,  and  white  coloured 
flowers  may  be  obtained  from  a  packet  of  mixed  seeds,  or  packets  in 
separate  colours  can  be  purchased. 
Campanula  pyramidalis. 
These  hardy  perennials  have  long  been  regarded  as  stately  objects  for 
pot  culture,  and  all  who  have  seen  them  in  good  condition  will,  I  think, 
agree  that  they  thoroughly  deserve  the  high  encomiums  passed  on 
them.  Writers  on  their  culture  usually  recommend  the  plants  to  be 
grown  in  pots  throughout,  but  I  find  they  succeed  admirably  if  sown  in 
July,  the  plants  left  in  the  open  ground  throughout  the  winter,  and 
potted  in  March  or  April.  Much  labour  is  saved  by  following  this 
plan,  and  valuable  space  under  glass  during  the  winter  months. 
Double  Pyrethrums. 
No  cultivated  plants  are  more  easily  grown  than  are  the  numerous 
varieties  of  Pyrethrums,  and  none  give  a  greater  return  in  the  shape 
of  showy  and  useful  cut  flowers.  For  these  reasons  a  large  number 
should  be  grown  in  the  reserve  garden  if  cut  flowers  are  in  demand, 
or  where  plants  of  this  type  are  found  useful  in  pots. 
Clumps  lifted  in  April  and  grown  in  cool  pits,  vineries,  or  any  cool 
glass  structure  will  be  in  full  beauty  from  the  middle  to  the  end  of  May. 
They  scarcely  seem  to  feel  any  check  from  lifting,  if  that  operation  is 
not  deferred  beyond  the  time  when  their  flower  buds  are  just  visible;  and 
I  have  lifted  large  clumps  just  as  the  flowers  were  beginning  to  open 
with  satisfactory  results,  but  in  such  cases,  of  course,  frequent  syringings, 
and  shading  for  a  few  days,  are  absolutely  necessary. 
Marked  improvement  is  yearly  effected  in  these  free-flowering 
perennials.  I  would,  therefore,  advise  those  forming  a  collection  to 
leave  the  selection  to  the  florist  or  nurseryman  they  purchase  from,  for 
in  that  way  they  may  rely  on  getting  good  value  for  their  money. 
But  for  the  benefit  of  those  who  require  a  few  inexpensive  varieties  I 
will  enumerate  Borne  of  the  older  ones  : — album  plenum,  Mont  Blanc, 
and  Cry  Chang  are  exceedingly  good  whites  ;  Dora,  light  pink,  tipped 
white  ;  Captain  Nares,  bright  crimson  ;  Herman  Steiger,  rose  ;  Madame 
Munsier,  rosy  blush ;  Niobe,  flesh  coloured  ;  Marquis  of  Salisbury, 
cherry  rose  ;  Shotover,  pink ;  M  >ns.  Barral,  deep  red  :  and  Princess  of 
Teck,  crimson  and  orange. — D.  W. 
FRUIT  GROWING  IN  NEW  SOUTH  WALES. 
In  view  of  the  possibility  of  the  British  and  other  markets  becoming 
largely  supplied,  in  the  near  future,  with  fruit  from  Australia,  the  fruit¬ 
growing  capabilities  of  New  South  Wales  form  a  subject  of  some  interest. 
According  to  Mr.  Benson  of  the  Department  of  Agriculture  in  that 
colony,  in  “the  mother  colony  of  the  Australias,”  few  parts  of  the  world 
possess  greater  natural  facilities  for  the  production  of  fruit  in  greater 
variety  than  the  colony  of  New  South  Wales.  Owing  to  the  extent  of 
country  and  the  great  differences  of  climate  the  colonists  are  enabled  to 
grow  every  kind  of  fruit,  from  Mangoes  to  Gooseberries,  or,  leaving  out 
a  few  tropical  fruits,  all  the  cultivated  fruits  of  the  world,  and  many  of 
such  quality  and  to  such  perfection  that  they  cannot  be  excelled 
elsewhere. 
On  the  north-eastern  seaboard,  with  its  semi-tropical  climate,  the 
Maneoe,  Custard  Apple,  Banana,  and  Pine  Apple  grow  side  by  side,  and 
the  Passion  Fruit  and  Guava  grow  wild,  producing  an  abundance  of 
fruit  without  any  cultivation  whatever.  The  Orange,  Lemon,  and 
Citron  grow  with  very  little  attention,  and  it  is  not  an  uncommon  thing 
to  find  the  two  latter  growing  in  the  scrub  from  chance  seedlings, 
producing  fruit  in  abundance,  and  holding  their  own  against  the 
indigenous  vegetation. 
The  central  seaboard  district  embraces  a  large  tract  of  country, 
where  the  Orange  and  other  Citrus  fruits  still  flourish,  but  the  place  of 
the  tropical  fruits  of  the  north-eastern  seaboard  is  taken  by  the  Peach, 
Nectarine,  Apricot,  Oriental  Plum,  Pear,  early  varieties  of  Apples,  and 
several  varieties  of  Plums,  as  well  as  table  Grapes.  Tnis  district  is 
essentially  the  home  of  the  Peach,  as  it  grows  wild  wherever  the  stones 
are  deposited  along  the  banks  of  creeks,  and  on  the  shores  of  the  Hawkes- 
bury  may  be  seen  numbers  of  large  Peach  trees,  bearing  heavy  crops  of 
fine  fruit,  that  have  never  been  planted,  cultivated,  or  pruned,  and  that 
have  been  grown  from  chance  Peach  stones  that  have  been  carried  down 
and  left  by  floods.  When  cultivated  the  Peach  is  very  prolific  ;  in  fact, 
it  is  much  given  to  overbearing,  as  are  also  Plums  and  Apricots,  with 
the  result  that  the  quality  of  the  fruit  grown  often  suffers  from  the 
number  that  the  tree  has  to  bear.  Where,  however,  the  trees  are  pro¬ 
perly  attended  to,  and  only  allowed  to  bear  as  much  fruit  as  they  can 
bring  to  perfection,  the  quality  of  the  fruit  is  good  ;  grown  with  an 
ease  that  is  probably  unsurpassed  in  any  other  part  of  the  world. 
Here  the  Pear,  when  once  established,  is  .as  hardy  as  a  native  tree, 
and  large  numbers  of  old  Pear  trees  can  be  seen  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
Sydney,  growing  without  the  slightest  attention,  and  bearing  heavy 
crops  of  fruit.  These  old  neglected  Pear  trees  are  often  of  large  size, 
and  usually  mark  the  site  of  old  orchards,  from  which  all  other  varieties 
of  fruit  trees  have  long  since  disappeared,  the  Pears  alone  remaining 
and  defying  neglect.  In  the  table-land  districts  of  the  colony  there  are 
large  tracts  of  country  widely  separated  from  each  other,  but  which  have 
a  climate  and  rainfall  admirably  suited  to  the  production  of  the  fruits  of 
the  temperate  regions,  including  Apples,  Pears,  Plums,  Quinces,  Cherries, 
and  all  kinds  of  berry  fruits  and  hardy  nuts.  In  these  districts  the 
winter  is  more  or  less  severe,  snow  being  not  uncommon,  and  frosts  of 
frequent  occurrence.  The  summers  are  generally  bright  and  warm 
during  the  days,  but  always  cool  at  night,  so  that  though  there  is 
sufficient  sun  heat  to  put  plenty  of  sugar  in  the  fruit,  the  fruit  does  not 
ripen  as  rapidly  as  in  warmer  or  more  humid  districts,  and  the  fruits 
thrown  possess  much  greater  firmness,  and  are  much  better  Buited  for 
kieping  or  export. 
Apples,  Pears,  Plums,  and  Cherries,  when  planted  in  suitable  soils 
and  properly  looked  after,  are  usually  heavy  bearers  in  these  districts, 
and  the  fruits  of  firmer  texture,  higher  colour,  better  flavour,  and  better 
keeping  qualities  than  the  same  fruits  when  grown  in  other  parts  of  the 
colony.  Cherries  do  remarkably  well  in  many  parts,  the  red  Kentish 
Cherry  growing  almost  wild  and  without  the  slightest  cultivation,  and 
yet  bearing  heavy  crops  of  fruit ;  in  fact  this  variety  is  such  a  hardy 
grower  that  it  is  planted  in  hedges  to  form  a  breakwind  or  protection 
for  the  orchard  against  the  prevailing  winds  of  the  district.  In  the 
central  districts  there  are  a  soil  and  climate  well  adapted  to  the  growth 
of  the  Vine,  the  Olive,  the  Fig,  the  Apricot,  the  Prune,  and  drying 
Peaches — in  fact  for  nearly  all  varieties  of  drying  fruits.  The  dry 
western  country  also  grows  good  fruit,  but  here  its  successful  culture 
depends  largely  on  having  water  available  for  irrigation  when  necessary. 
With  irrigation  on  suitable  land  Apricots,  Peaches,  Almonds,  Figs, 
Grapes,  Olives,  Oranges,  and  Lemons  can  be  grown  to  great  perfection, 
the  varieties  of  deciduous  fruits  that  dry  well  being  the  most  suitable. — 
John  Plummer,  Sydney. 
THE  R.H.S.  EXAMINATION,  1896. 
This  is  over  once  again,  and  now  we  are  anxiously  awaiting  the 
result.  I  should  like  to  make  one  or  two  remarks  on  the  test  paper,  and 
also  take  the  liberty  to  criticise  one  or  two  of  the  questions. 
Many  of  the  candidates,  myself  among  the  number,  hoped  we  should 
be  allowed  three  hours  this  year  instead  of  two  and  a  half.  I  hsd  the 
pleasure  of  sitting  for  “Agriculture”  on  May  5th,  We  were  allowed 
three  hours  to  answer  seven  questions,  or  an  average  of  a  little  over 
twenty-five  minutes  for  each.  In  the  R.H.S  the  time  for  each  is  less 
than  nineteen  minutes.  Is  that  giving  candidates  a  good  chance  ?  I 
think  Dot. 
Taking  the  test  paper  on  the  whole  there  is  not  much  to  complain  of 
in  the  questions,  but  those  I  wish  to  criticise  are  Nos.  4  and  6  in 
Div.  B.  No.  4  asks  for  the  origin  of  the  Cherry  and  Apricot,  soil  and 
manure  most  suitable  for  each,  diseases  and  remedies.  No.  6,  What  is 
the  origin  of  the  Carnation  and  garden  Pink  ?  Give  cultural  details. 
What  I  want  to  know  is,  What  has  the  origin  of  the  Cherry  ar.d 
Apricot,  the  Carnation  and  Pink,  to  do  with  “horticultural  practice?” 
I  venture  to  assert  that  of  every  hundred  gardeners  who  could  give 
details  of  cultivation,  not  ten  would  be  able  to  give  the  origin  of  the 
above  mentioned  plants.  Besides,  of  what  “  practical  ”  use  is  it  to 
them?  If  the  examiners  wish  to  put  such  questions  they  should  give 
them  in  D;vision  A. — A  Candidate. 
YOUNG  GARDENERS. 
Their  Hours  and  Habitations. 
I  AM  sorry  that  I  did  not  make  my  meaning  quite  so  plain  as 
perhaps  I  might  have  done,  and  by  not  doing  so  I  have  roused  the  ire 
of  a  “Wiltshire  Gardener”  (page  476).  When  I  stated  that  young 
gardeners  should  have  holidays  given  to  them  instead  of  asking  for 
them  as  well  as  the  evenings  to  themselves,  I  did  not  mean  it  to  be 
understood  that  it  was  to  be  all  holidays  and  no  work  during  the 
evening. 
It  is  a  well-known  fact  that  in  all  gardens  there  is  a  certain  amount 
of  work  at  different  seasons  of  the  year,  and  especially  in  the  spring, 
that  must  be  done  by  a  certain  time.  They  would  be  poor  men  if 
they  did  not  turn  out  without  grumbling  to  do  what  was  absolutely 
necessary  ;  and  if  the  bead  gardener,  when  he  is  not  allowed  to  pay  for 
overtime,  were  to  offer  the  men  an  occasional  holiday,  whether  half¬ 
day  or  a  week,  when  the  rush  of  work  was  done,  the  men  would 
appreciate  it  more,  and  turn  out  more  willingly  to  do  anything  that 
might  be  required  of  them,  knowing  that  they  would  not  be  forgotten 
when  the  busy  time  was  past.  If  the  men  are  paid  for  overtime,  and 
the  chief  is  kind  enough  to  give  them  a  holiday,  so  much  the  better  for 
the  men. 
A  “Wiltshire  Gardener’s”  men  cease  work  at  6  p.m.  and  1.30 
Saturday  for  a  good  part  of  the  summer.  They  are  rather  fortunate  I 
should  think.  Where  I  am  engaged  we  work  nine  hours  per  week  overtime 
on  an  average  for  four  months  in  the  summer,  and  leave  off  at  4  p.m. 
Saturdays,  so  that  there  is  not  much  time  for  anything  but  work,  no  pay 
being  allowed  for  it. 
Regarding  a  “  Wiltshire  Gardener’s”  query,  whether  young  men 
would  be  more  comfortable  or  better  off  in  the  end  if  they  had  a  good 
bothy,  with  the  necessary  domestic  arrangements,  I  say  Yes,  they 
would.  I  have  had  several  years’  experience  of  bothy  life.  Some  were 
comfortable,  and  some  were  not ;  and  I  have  found  that  when  the 
bothy  was  comfortable,  the  men,  as  a  rule,  spent  their  evenings  in  it, 
and  especially  in  the  winter  time  ;  but  where  they  were  not  comfortable 
it  was  very  seldom  they  did  so  unless  on  duty,  and  I  should  think  it 
would  be  better  for  them  to  be  in  the  bothy  than  elsewhere. 
Many  thanks  from  young  gardeners  are  due  to  Mr.  Bardney  for 
explaining  his  excellent  principles  of  working,  and  for  championing  the 
cause  for  young  men;  I  should  like  to  ask  a  “  Wiltshire  Gardener,”  in 
conclusion,  who  is  to  look  after  the  comforts  o£  young  men  if  head 
gardeners  are  not  going  to  do  so. — Another  Subordinate, 
