HORTICULTURAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2274, 30 September 1897, Page 8

HORTICULTURAL NOTES.

By J. Gebbib.

A DUNEDIN NURSERY.

When in Dunedin a few days ago I strolled through the nursery of Mr S Cousins, pandas street, attracted by a display of hyacinths which I saw in full bloom. I often wonder why these beautiful bulbs are not more frequently met with. They are as fine ornaments to the garden in spring as the chrysanthemnm is to the greenhouse in autumn. Few of our spring flowerirg plants better repay our care and labour than the hyacinth, and in beauty, variety, and fragrance they are rarely surpassed. In this nurgery they are doing remarkably well in the open borderp, and in pots in the greenhouse they are very fine.

Looking round, I saw several other good things in bloom. A plant of Andromeda japonica covered with buncheß of pure white flowers looked very pretty. It is a beautiful, hardy evergreen shrub from Japan, and well worthy of a place in any collection of beautiful shrubs. In one of the greenhouses was a collection of azalea?, comprising over 50 varieties, 'some of them just coming into bloom. One, called Deutsche perle, with large double flowers of snowy whiteness, is very fine. Mrs Turner, a semi-double pink with white-edged petals, is also a grand variety. These are a capital class of plants for greenhouse decoration. They are often recommended for outdoor cultivation, but except in some very favoured locality, especially in Otago, they are never satisfactorily grown. A good specimen of Ecica andromedifolia, covered with bloom, was very attractive. Several pots of freesias were diffusing their fragrance throughout the house. These bulbs are of easy culture, requiring little protection to ensure a good supply of bloom. Lachenalia NeUoni, another pretty bulbous plant lately introduced, was here seen. The flowers are pendulous, and of a rich yellow colour.

In the propagating department of this nursery an immense stock of plants are being raised. Begonias, for which the nursery is famed, are made a specialty of by Mr Ccusine, who informed me that his stock this season will amount to 20,000 plants. Dahlias of the best show and cactus varieties are being rooted from cuttings by the hundred?, lb may be here noted that dahlias rooted from cuttings will grow and flower just as well as an old bulb, and will produce finer blooms. Some who order dahlias from a nureery are disappointed when they come to hand to find only rooted cuttings instead of, as they expected, large tubers about as tulky as one's head. A large stock of those beautiful dwarf cannas which attracted so much attention at the last autumn show are being potted up. I noticed many other floral favourites too numerous to particularise being pushed on for salf , and I trust that the enterprising proprietor may have si successful season.

GAHDEN MATTERS IN THE OAMARU DISTRICT.

In our own district a general resurrection of plant life has been going on. The frequent showers of late have assisted to bring out the many floral treasures which during the dull months of winter have been wrapped np in the parent bulb and bud. In our gardens, both public and private, the flowers of spring are each day becomirg more attraciive. Most things are later than usual in coming into bloom, fruit trees in some instances being three weeks later than last year. Peaches, apricots, and plums are now in full bloono, and the orchards around look beautiful, and if the weather holds favourable a bounteous crop is anticipated.

One of the first shrubs to bloom this season was Garryu oliptica, a hardy American plant, which, when in bloom, is peculiarly interesting, and never fails to attract the attention of the most casual observer. In the garden of Mr W. H. S. Roberts I saw a few weeks ago a splendid specimen, which was between 6fc and 7ft high and about 20ft in circumference, every twig bearing large bunches of tassel-like blooms about 6in in length. These were so crowded 1 on the plant as almost to bide the foliage. It is a plant which will thrive in almost any situation. I noticed a nice bealty specimen in the Octagon, Dnnedin, a few days ago, and there should be some good specimens about, as it has been ia Dunedin for about 20 years

or perhaps longer. In the same garden the winter aconite, snowdrops, and other early flowers were l-'ghting up the borders, but at the present time narcissus are the most interesting. There are many lovers of these popular flowers' about here, and some fairly good collections exist. A few of the most distinct ia bloom this week are Horsfieldii, a rich golden yellow, with white perianth ; Emperor, large yellow trumpet, pale yellow perianth ; Cernuu?, perianth silvery white, tiumpet pale primrose changing to white — beautiful ; Pr incepp, pale lemon perianth, darker trumpet ; Maximua, deep golden yellow ; Albicanp, something like cernuus, but longer trumpet. These belong to the large trumpet section. Of the other sections the most distinct in bloom are Sir Watkin (the largest of this class, and a gem), Hatnei, Leed&ii argentea, Figaro, Miriam Barton, Autocrat, Stella cynosure, Burr's conspicuous, Sulphureous, and Duchess de Barbante. These, and three double varieties which are known under tha names of Butter-and-eggs, Eggs-and-bacon, and Codlins-and-crearo, are all veiy distinct. These are tut a few of the many varieties cultivated. Some growers in England catalogue abcut GOO varieties, rangirg in price from Id per bulb to £6 per bulb for some of the newest.

In our public gardens hyacinths and narcissus are just now at their best. In one oval-shaped bed there are 500 hyacinths in full bloc ra. Thcja occupy the outer edge of the bed, and the centra is filled with narcissus of various, species and varieties, the varied and beautiful colours proving a great attraction to visitors. Among other noteworty plants are Eptmediam pinnatum, a native of Pi rsia, and Lithospermum prostratum, from the south-west of Europe. The former is an elegant little plant, with spikes of yellow fioweis and handsome foliage contrasting well with the flowers. The other is a prostrate-growing plant, beariDg masses of blue flowerp, very useful for the borders or on rockerie3. Public Gardens, Oamaru.