TREES AND FLOWERS

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 110, 3 February 1931, Page 11

TREES AND FLOWERS

Exotics in New Zealand

WHOLE WORLD DRAWN UPON

Some information as to where many of New Zealand’s trees and flowering plants originally eame from was given by the Minister of Defence, Hon. J. G. Cobbe, when opening the Horticultural Conference in Wellington yesterday. “The public generally do not recognise the great work that has been done by those interested in horticulture, either amateurs or otherwise,” said Mr. Cobbe. “They do not realise that most of the flowers, plants, and fruits that beautify our gardens and enrich our orchards originally came from far-distant countries. Such everyday shrubs and flowers as the laburnum, lilac, wallflower, hollyhock, and sunflower, originally came from Central Europe, China, or America. Tuberous begonias, calceolarias, petunias, monkey puzzles, and many varieties of fuchsias, came from the Andes. South Africa contributed gladiolus, pelargoniums and arum lily. Asia Minor and the Mediterranean sent daffodils, pinks, and carnations. Tulips, although we now associate them with Holland, originally came from Central Asia China and Japan sent us chrysanthemums, and Mexico, although chiefly noted for revolutions, contributed cosmos and dahlias." “New Zealand is, on account of its climate, admirably adapted for the successful cultivation of almost every sort, of plant or shrub. As an instance it may be noted that heather, which is only supposed to flourish in parts of Europe, especially in Ireland and Scotland, and at the Cape of Good Hope in South .Africa, grows profusely in the National Park in our own Dominion.

On the Continent of Europe, also in Jersey and in England, the production of fruit, flowers, and vegetables is an industry of enormous importance. In England the value of flowers, grown in the open for market, is estimated at £400,000 annually, while those grown under glass for market amount to £l,350.000—0 r a total annual value of £1,750,000. In Holland there are about 15,000 acres under bulbs, while America has some 40,000 acres devoted to the same