YERBA MATE

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 233, 1 October 1932, Page 6 (Supplement)

YERBA MATE

A correspondent writing from Wellington says: "Re growing yerba mate in New Zealand it may be of interest to your readers to hear that it cannot be grown commercially in this country, because it requires a depth of soil, which in New Zealand, is only very rarely found,- and then only in small patches. In Paraguay, where the best mate grows, there is a great depth of virgin soil. No doubt i* would be possible to grow small shrubs of it for ornamental purposes, but as- far as I know thove are none now growing in New Zealand." As a commercial venture I am in accordance with the views of our correspondent-, for to try and transplant an industry peculiar to-a certain country into another district is vory difficult, ;ind often leads to failure. The source of mate is a tree known ;jr; Ilex Paraguayensis, a variety of "holly," and it will grow wherever the holly will grow. There was a tree in the gardens of (lie late Mr. Poynton, S.M., and probably there are others about. As an ornamental tree or shrub it is outclassed by other varieties of the common holly, Ilex aquifolium, at Hie same time the economic value is sufficient to warrant it a place amongst our lists of ornamental shrubs.