HORTICULTURAL JOTTINGS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12271, 15 May 1903, Page 7

HORTICULTURAL JOTTINGS.

AN ABANDONED ORCHARD. It was lately reported that the Burrawong orchard, hear Malong,' Australia, has been abandoned, and the cannery closed down. Some £50,000 had boon spent on this industry by the Burrawong Fruit Company. The orchard occupied 800 acres, and was planted with 00,000 trees. The unsuitable climate, cost of freightage to market and fruit tree posts caused the abandonment of what, it is admitted, was the best orchard in the State.

FORESTRY IN SCOTLAND. It is said that there is likely to be an unusually interesting forestry section at the show of the. Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland, which is to be held in Dumfries in July. The classes seem to bo well arranged, and it will interest inahy to observe- the" efforts being made to encourage tho more scientific pursuit of the practice of forestry in Scotland. The Royal Scottish Arboricultural Society continues to grow in strength and usefulness. Too many gardeners neglect the acquirement of a knowledge of forestry, which would often bo of immense advantage to them in their career. THE PRIMROSE: A FIGHTING PLANT. A gardening iournal says that the primrose, given suitable soil, is a gladiator among plants. You would not suspect this from its appearance It's beauty is that of tenderness and modesty, but you would soon discover the truth if you had to struggle against it for growing space. That neat rosette of crinkly, deep green leaves looks simple and humble ; but it must have killed scores of rival plants in order to occupy so much space. -What was a seedling primrose last year is a rich-flowering clump to-day. Next year it will 'be a largo patch of primroses, and "the "year after a" primrose-bed. The primrose achieves this end by strict attention to business. A FLORAL NOVELTY. A short time since the Madras Times contained an account of a marvellous floral novelty found growing in the grounds of a native gentleman. "This prodigy had two leaves, shaped like the wings of a butterfly, of a dark colour spotted with grey, and resembling a piece of creased linen in texture. Between these wing-leaves a hollow bead, grey, with rod lines, resembling the head of a serpent, was attached, a narrow leaf being so situated as to resemble a serpent s tail. The flower smelt like a cauliflower. As it neither hissed when disturbed, nor ran away when threatened with a stick, its claim to be a flower seems to be established. AVENUES OF PARIS. The beautiful Paris avenues have long been the admiration of Europe. And now another is contemplated which will the rest into the shade. Incidentally it Will also furnish another illustration of the truth that the third Republic is little more than the Empire in commission. The avenue, in short, is" just the realisation a century after date of a brilliant idea of Napoleon, who ono day indicated his notion of an avenue by drawing a straight* line on a map of the city from'the Place de la Concorde to the heart of the forest of St. Germain, the distance being 102 miles. This road is now to be built 38 yards in width and level along the whole length.

PLANTS MIMICKING ONE ANOTHER. In a recent number of Knowledge the Rev. A. S. Wilson discoursed on the methods employed in the plant world for obtaining protection from enemies by mimicking or resembling other plants which are efficiently protected. Mr. Wilson writes:-" Mimicry is perhaps more frequent in the seed than in any other part of the vegetable organism; it occurs, however, in other organs, ana even the entire plant body may assume a deceptive appearance. A well-known example is the white dead nettle, which so closely resembles the stinging nettle in' size and in the shape and arrangement of its leaves. In systematic position the two plants are widely removed from each other, but they grow in similar situations and are casuy mistaken; anyone who has occasion to collect quantities of Lamium is almost sure to get his" hands stung by TJrtica, an experience calculated to convince ono of the efficacy of protective resemblance. Among animals it is species provided with formidable weapons of defence that are most frequently mimicked by weak, defenceless creatures. The stinging nettle is, therefore, a a very likely model for unprotected plants to copy.

HORTICULTURAL STATISTICS OF NEW SOUTH WALES. For the year ending March 31, 1903, the New South Wales horticultural statistics are as follows:—Grape vines for winemaking, 5044 acres produced 806,640 gallons, an 'average yield of 160 gallons per acre ; table grapes, 2701 acres produced 3715 tens, an average yield of 1.4 ton pel acre. The total area under vines, comprising wine and table grapes and not bearing! is 8793 acres. Orangeries, prductive, 12,550 acres produced 424,366 cases, averaging 34 cases per acre. In addition there are '3657 acres of citrus trees not yet in bearing. The area under passion fruit is 435 acres, from which 15,789 cases were taken, an average of 36 cases per acre. Other'orchard fruits, productive, 12,556 acres, yielded fruit to the value of £176,757, or an average of £6 10s per acre. Orchards are not yet in bearing, outside orangeries, total 4216 acres. Market and kitchen gardens, ' 8260 ' acres, ' produced £218,592 worth of produce, averaging £26 9s per acre. Tomatoes,' 273 acres," produced 29,135 cases, an average of 107 cases per acre. Pumpkins and melons, 5417 acres, produced 13.211 tons, an a'yerage of 2.4 tons per 'acre. The increase' in area' on the proviqhs year's record is only slight in'every instance. AeglQfl&A,