OUR NURSERIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5473, 2 June 1879, Page 3

OUR NURSERIES.

IV.—Faxnbll. J' Owing .to a dissolution ot partnership, the well-known and extensive nursery, for many years carried -on by the firm of Mason Brothers, in now entirely in the hands and under the management of James Mason. It has been established about 15 years, and the business, comparatively small at the outset, has doubled itßelf every year, and at the present time is very large. This will bo evident when it is learned that, on an average, fifteen men are employed attending to tho varions departments in connection with nursery work. Altogether, Mr. Mason has 16 acres of land —13 in nursery stock, and 3 in strawberries. The soil is of excellent character, easy to cultivate, and specially suitable for the growing of trees. No expense seems to have been spared in the erection of necessary buildings, such as propagating houses, vineries,-packing-houses, and offices. Mr. Mason has two vineries, with glass roofs, the larger one 300 fe6t, and the other 100 feet in length. Both are heated with hot water, having, pipes mulling through them the entire length of the buildings. The propagating house,'4o feet long, is also heated in the aame manner. An 8horse power boiler is nsed for heating the water. 1 suppose there are no vineries in the province equal to these. A row of vines is planted on each side, and they are trained up the roof, which is not very high. About 120 vines are growing in one building, and 300 in the other, principally Black Hamburghs. Last summer three tons of grapes were produced by these vines. Another building—the fernery—is appropriated , to tho growth of ferns, of which there are.somo 200 varieties. Gas has been introduced into the packing shed, as during the bußy season the men have sometimes to work night and day, attending to the numerous orders for stock that come in from all parts of. the country. I had better mention /here; that, in addition to the nazsery grounds at Paraell, I Mr. Maaon has 26 acres of land at Remuera. most of which is about to be Bet apart for ail orchard; 200 varieties of apples will be planted in order to test whether tho trees are true to name. About twelve acres of strawberries, lemons, and oranges will also be planted. A wire-fence and a box-thorn hedge round the property will thoroughly enclose it.

On a recent occasion I flpont several hours inspecting the stock now growing afcthe Parnell nuraery. There are hedge plants of various sortß. The Cleared Traversa, a native .of Chatham Island, appears to merit I Borne notice. It is a very rapid grower, quits hardy, will bear trimming, and makes an excellent break-wind. The plants can bo had at a reasonable price, and once a person had a few, as cuttings will grow, the number might soon be increased. There is, too,, the Eleagnus Japonica, which is not only fastgrowing, but very ornamental. Mr. Mason has great faith in the new hedge-plant —Lycium Horridum, or African boxthorn. He is about to make a small fortune out of this plant, as he has several large beds of it, altogether, probably 400,000 plants, for sale. He has reasons for believing that it will make a really good live-fence, as it grows rapidly, and forms a dense, strong, close fence, the long thorns in it making it impenetrable for stock. The boxthorn is an evergreen, and will stand clipping. It transplants well, and will do in most kind of soils. This hedge has to be planted out in winter; the plants about six inches apart, cnt down the next summer to about four inches from the ground, kept clear of werds for a year or two, and then it will go-ahead. It seeds freely, and I believe cuttings will take. Mr. Mason has a large stock of fruit trees, —about 15,000 apples, 9,000 pears, 10,000 peaches, 3,000 plums, and 1000 nectarines and apricots. Special attention is invited to the apple trees, of which there v are some 200 sorts, all worked on blightresisting stocks. From the catalogue it would seem as if nothing but Majetin stocks were ÜBed, but on enquiry I was informed that Spy stocks are also largely employed for working. The young trees are looking nealtliy aad vigorous, and uat o£ such an immense variety parties may select whatever kind of apples they may desire, large or small, early or late, kitchen or dessert. A large number of American apples have of late been introduced into this colony, and some of them are most excellent sorts and great bearers. Mr. Mason has a large assortment of these American apples, and amongst them the very best kinds.' I must call the attention of lovers of figs to seven new varieties to be obtained at Parnell nursery, all, I believe, of excellent quality. The mammoth quince, too, a new variety with evergreen foliage, and very large and handsome fruit, is welL worthy the attention of those who have a fancy for that fine .and useful fruit. Mr. Mason has an extensive stock' of pines and other conifers, which, of course, contain some of the most useful and handsome trees. Of late years there has been such a run on the fnsignis and Macrocarpa that the nurserymen annually raise immense stocks of them. But should not be over-looked, as it is a very handsome tree, hardy, and a tolerably quick grower. Nor shoald'the Insxgnis be planted to the entire neglect of such pines as'the Excelsa and lialepensis, and others. AJI these sorts are grown by Mr. Mason, not omittingto mention the Wellingtoniagigantea, of which I saw a beautiful specimen the other day in the Acclimatisation Society's Gardens. Mr. Mason has a fine lot of young native trees ; a bed of puriris, looking very healthy —a tree that should be extensively planted. A.s for dahlias, gladioli, azaleas, camellias, roses, fuchsias, bonvardias, pelargoniums, phloxes, carnations, chrysanthemums, and other choice plants, no less than twenty pages of a closely printed catalogue are taken up with their several names and description of flowers. Agricola.