NEW ZEALAND PLANTS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 6 December 1924, Page 16

NEW ZEALAND PLANTS.

KEEN DEMAND IN BRITAIN. DAY OF '.THE ORCHID GONE. Many people in England who formerly spent large sums of money in the propagation of orchids are now going in for the growing of more hardy plants and shrubs,- and in this connection the rarer New Zealand plants are receiving, considerable attention at [the hands of thoie who seek unusual > gardening effects. ■ Mr. J. A. IVf’Phersoii, of the'staff :of the Dunedin Botanic Gardens,: whi> has speirt two years at Kew Gardens, London, gaining further ■ experience and study, returned to the Dominion this week. He, said there was evidence of increasing interest in Great Britain in New Zealand .plants and the rarer New Zealand - trees and * shrubs. . He found that \Ei.linbuvgh had' the finest collection of. New Zealand while the best collection of New Zealand ferns was to be seen at Glasgow, and these other cities were still looking for fur flier specimens. All were keen to get the Mount ; Cbok ; lily (Ranunculus Lyallii); -This movemdilt was even noticeable in some parts of France; but?* none of the., obllebtioifs there was, s 6 far, very good. While in France Mr. M’Pherson discussed tlie exchange of rare plants with various societies, and inrecogmtibiijof the assistance he had given he was awarded the diploma of the National Society of Horticulturists of France. , The day of the orchid in [England has gone, according to Mi- M’Phersoifi, and . those who were no longer • able to bear the cost of raising these exquisite blooms are going hack to more natural effects in the garden with hardy plants. There, is consequently a demand for exotics, and New- Zealand plants are wanted. Mr. M’Pherson. mentioned that- nurserymen were charging as much as 21s for small kauri trees, while potted totaras brought up to 7s 6d. Mr. M’Pherson brought back with him tw-o boxes of plants from Kew Gardens, consisting mostly of hardy . tres and shrubs. Among the collection are some unusual rhododendrons, rd which he said there were now about .900 known species, excluding many garden hybrids. “ His consignment includes a new variety from Burma which was successfully acclimatised at Kew, and another the seed of which was secured by the Mount Everest- expedition of last. year. All these plants arrived in excellent condition. They were pack- v ed in special Wardian boxes designed for the carriage of .seedlings. The hexes will shortly be returned to Kew filled’ with rare New Zealand plants, given in exchange for those sent to New Zealand. Mr. M’Phe-son remarked that the leading hetanists in England spoke very buddy ef the work of the botanists of the Dominion, commending particularly t-be researches and ' publieat!r nm L, O< L Dl f>ckavne and the late Mr. T. F. Oherseman.