THE CRIMSON MANUKA.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12814, 13 July 1912, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE CRIMSON MANUKA.

... — » — — — . Tlie Daily Chronicle states that a twenty -five-guinea cup was awarded an exhibit of the • Leptospermum Nicholii, a shrub with brilliant red flowers fr"om New Zealand, and grown m a Cornish garden. This Leptospermum is described as "the best novelty of tho International Exhibition of 1912." Here a great compliment is paid our New Zealand flora, for the International Exhibition was the greatest horticultural display the world has ever seen, and included displays of plants from every part ot" the globe. Christchurch m particular should be proud of the above fact, for it was near there that this great novelty was found. The history of the plant is as follows i-^-In the summer of 1906, Mr W. Nicholls, a well-known wool*' buyer of 'Belfast, while visiting a local nursery wore a, botton-liole of crimson manuka. The firm at once: recognised a new thing, and, asked its whereabouts, and if it^could be procured. This,- however, was a secret, and, all tlie information tendered by Mr Nicolls was that the original plant was growing, m the manuka scrub between 'Chaney's Corner and the sea. The nurserymen, however, would not be put off, and asked for cuttings, which were, supplied by Mr Nicholls*. These cuttings, however, were useless for striking purposes, as the growth was too hard, and only erne or two plants- were raised, ; and these were Stunted m growth. On a branch brought, /however, there were some, seeds, which were sown, apd as a result some 110 plants were raised. These; with the exception of seven, showed m their growth similar character to the old variety of, the manuka, and. later, when m bloom, were mostly j dark reddish foliage, and. a difference m habit. When m bloom they proved to be crimson m color, and from one of these (the best variety) the now famous Leptospermum Nicholii has been named and introduced to the ; horticultural world. Botanists locally have been much interested m this break, and have formed quite a number of theories for what Dr Cockayne calls a mutant. Quite a number of plants have been successfully* sent to the Old Country and are doing well. Captain Dorrien-Smith, the well known plant collector of the Scilly jlslesj who lias collected many plants m New Zealand, stated when m New, Zealand, that this crimson manuka was the finest novelty m New Zealand plantsAthat had left its shores for the last thirty years.