A Model Nursery.

Hastings Standard, Issue 514, 31 December 1897, Page 2

A Model Nursery.

AT « THE EDEN OF NEW 7 ZEALAND."

A representative of this journal waited on Mr Goddard, the well-known nurseryman, yesterday at his nurseries at Havelock, for the purpose of looking over his property. Mr Goddard extended him the hearty welcome in that bluff, unaffected style which is a distinguishing characteristic of that gentleman and proceeded at once to guide his visitor through the orchards, vineries, roseries, shrubberies, &c., occupying some thirty-five acres of the most generous land in New Zealand. Mr Goddard takes a pardonable pride in his place and he makes no effort to conceal his satisfaction as he points out his stately trees bending to the earth beneath their load of fruit or conducts you through his beautiful vinery with its generous offering of grapes. The fernery is an interesting spot to a collector and arranged, as it is, with the artistic negligence of the native bush it is a cool and enchanting retreat. " Shrubs and plants, " said the genial proprietor in answer to an enquiry, " why we could load the largest boat in the Union Steamship Company's service to Plimsoll mark and then make no appreciable difference in the appearance of the nursery and he led the writer into the midst of a magnificent display of young fruit and other trees. Mr Goddard has more than a mere commercial interest in his nurseries, he loves his profession and is continually experimenting with and importing new seeds and plants, with a view to benefitting the colony, and he has many new fruits and roses in process of test at present which, if they turn out favorably, will in due course be submitted to the market. Amongst these may be mentioned 15 varieties of peaches, one of which, the "Diamond Jubilee," Mr Goddard'a own growth, has passed through the severe ordeals to which Mr Goddard always subjects his experiments, with more than usual success. In answer to a further enquiry, Mr Goddard explained that he did not go in for artificial heat at present, and went in for rearing only hardy plants, but as the district grew older and developed he would increase his scope, and add this branch of the profession to his operations. Mr Goddard has some hundred thousand box-thorn plants in the ground, and the walnut trees growing in luxuriance along the river bank present a beautifully picturesque appearance. The rosery is a portion of the property which it w r ould be a pity to miss, as it contains every conceivable variety of known rose, and the dahlias are said so be the best in the colony. To do justice to Mr Goddard's nurseries in such a small space is impossible, and the only thing that can be said in order to convey an idea of the enterprise and energy of the proprietary is : that for appearance, and capable management tirSseare not better nurseries in the Australasia.