OUR INDUSTRIES & TRADES.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 10217, 24 January 1895, Page 2

OUR INDUSTRIES & TRADES.

JAMES MITCHINSON'S CALEDONIAN NURSERY. [by our special.] Truly does history repeat itself. Experience teaches that in regard to this apothegm, the sentiments recorded in that incomparable book of moral* •»)•] m.i vim—tho Bible, are in everyday lif" I unverified and borne in upon .til who uiit. u> nni uud read. " A prophet never b -ih hoaoi in hw own <> .mm) 1 '' is ,-> tii.ism, which fvir g< Delations, aye ! centuries past, has been placed beyond question, and another exemplification of it is afforded in our very midst. The sarcasm of fetching coals to Newcastle, in this instance, may be reversed, and the platitude made read — going out of Newcastle to purchase coal. How many of our worthy citizens, how many of our settlers are there that know of the Caledoniin Nursery ? Not many I wofc, for, on the face of the fact that numbers draw their supplies from Wellington, Christchurch, Auckland, and Wangauui, when planting and laying out ornamental gardens and shrubberies, it would only be reasonable to suppose that Mr Mitehinson, who has lived in our midst for the past 26 years, is either unknown, or that people hug the delusion that any article imported must perforce surpass local production. As in every other matter, so in this, for five-sixths of the seeds, plants, and shrubs that the Taranaki people import are sent to the places which they honor by their orders, by our local nurseryman. That skilled experts in the nursery line should recognise tho talents and experience of Mr Mitehinson is not marvellous, seeing that he served a number of years for the attainment of a knowledge that places him to-day in the front rank of his profession.

Mr Mitchinson, who hails from Devonshire, was born on his father's farm near Totness, known as Sharp & Barton, a model holding. Educated to a certain standard, he, of course, had to help on that farm, but, on reaching the age of 18, wood another mistress in the employ of Messrs Lucomb & Prince, nurserymen, of Exeter. Learning what ho thought all that could be gathered there, he transferred himself to the Royal Exotic Nursery in King's Road, Chelsea, and after a short stay there, to Henderson's Pineapple Nuraery on the Edgeware Road, London. Wishing to still further augment his knowledge he next engaged himself to the proprietors of Oakhill Market Gardens in Herefordshire, a place celebrated as the best forcing gardens for the supply of the market at Covent Garden. Thence he labored for some time at the Crystal Palace, Sydenhani, and at last reached the height of / his ambition by being appointed to the Horticultural Gardens at Kemington. When he severed his connection with this last place he received an appointment under Government as a planter of Kensington Park and on completion of his engagement, together with his wife, a sister of the famous David James, left for Auckland, New Zealand, to fulfil an engagement with Sir George Grey. The miscarriage of a letter, however, caused that engagement to lapse, and on arrival at that place Mr Mitchinson found that he should have to follow some other vocation. But not for long, for reaching Auckland in 1861, aud putting in a little while at uncongenial work, finding out that Colonel Warre, whom he had known at Home, was stationed in New Plymouth, and his wife also knowing • Mri" Warre, he came over hero and met Mr Hulke, in conjunction with whom he opened a nursery. Shortly after, taking up the land which had been occupied by Mr James Laird as the Egmont Nursery, he commenced business on his own account and rapidly increased it until after a lapse of seven years he found it necessary to expand. Nineteen years ago, No 14! Native Reserve, Boroujh of New Plymouth, being held up for lease, he acquired the property which he has recently purchased outright, and commenced a series of labor which has resulted in giving him a place which, to the initiated, is known as one of the best nurseries in the colony. The gardens, which at present comprise 14 acres, but which will be added to shortly by tho breaking up of a further 7 acres owned by him, are divided into two by Lemon-street, seven acres on the right, holding the residence,being utilised as a fruit and flower garden, and seven acres o i the opposite side as a growing ground for hedge and other plants.

On entering tho gate leading to the nursery proper, a wide well kept road bordered by full grown trees of exceptional varieties, winds along for some chains and reaches a glass-house measuring G6 feet by 1 G feet. This is divided into two compartments, each having wide stages on either hand and a wide passage between. Tho passage is made resplendent with a few specimens of choice plants in huge pots, containing, amongst others, palms, ferns, and varieties of Sterstodia Regina. The stages, blazing with flowering plants of double and single tuberousTJegonias, toned down by a judicious interspersing of foliaged varieties of tho same, Gloxinias, Coleas in innumerable variety and shade, with Maiden-hair fern intruding at every opportunity, would gladden tho eyes of the most apathetic, and the greatest ignoramus would see at a glancel that a wealth in rarity hero abounded. Going on further we came to a cool house, where palms, fuchsias in fifty varieties, Japanese maples (24 varieties), recently imported, petunias in thousands, and ether delicate and choice specimens seemed to be doing remarkably well. The cool house measures 40 feet by 1 5 feet. Adjoining it are frames with the Pohuhikawa (or New Zealand Christmas) trees, Silver trees, and other ornamental plants, and opposite these are glass frames again with thousands of pots of green-house plants. To one side is q. rose bed with an untold wealth of varieties of this quoen of flowers. Behind tho glass-house is the entrance into the orchard proper, though beds of fruit trees are to be mot with throughout the grounds. The orchard proper, as I shall designato it, is divided into two fields by a magnificent hedge, with an archway as an opening, gome 14 feet high, of well trained and clippod Cupressus Larsoniana. In these two fields, applos, peaches, plums, apricots, nectarines, figs, greengages, and, in fact, every fruit capable of growing in this climate, thrive and prospor to an unlimited extent, for, though many gatherings have already taken place, tljo trees are laden down with fruit in all stages, of riponing.

The beauty of tho place, to my thinking, is tho bhi'ubbery, which is readied thiough the orchard most conveniently, though, being placed on tho summit and tho declivity oi" a hill, many other paths open into it. On such a sweltering day as this [proved tho inexpressible relief and the gratifying coolness of this shade are simply indescribable. A footway being cut winding along the hill, no sooner is one beauteous spot passed than another commences, and what with palms, ferns, and the native shrubs, it is veritably an elysjuin. Seats under cpsy nooks, or placed in cuttings which lpok deliciously cool, attract the eye, and in mapy places, though the outer world may bo ablate with a noontide sun, twilight reigns supreme. That this strof;ch which intrinsically is of no valuo (for gardening purposes), should have been turned into such a fairy bower by Mr Mitohiuson, itself speaks volumes in praise of his artistic temperament. At the foot of tho shrubbery, an ever flowing drain of limpid water adds to tho charm. The ash-leaved forn runs riot and sets off tho scone to a remarkable degree Emerging from tho shrubbery a bed of heaths on either hand (some flowering) of sixty varieties is Been, and then arises thq question us tq the labor tljat th,e collection elf such a variety must have entailed. Pacing th.o heaths, tho grounds will bo seei) to hiivo b,een ' cut up' into, sections with well kept footpaths between,, nn,d, without tbo thread of Dopdalus to. guida one, it would bo difficult to trip in and out of tho labyrinthine maae, Euoh Hection, though devoted to some particular epocimon of fruit or flower tree, also holds shrubs or plants between tho rows.

Japanese Persimmons iv 7 varietic i, ] cheek by jowl with a >'cd of camellias where thousands of the-^ delicate plants, d ■awn from Australia au (l America, aio 'ii owing apace ; beds oi' -how dahlias o£ The most perfect gfnwth, wirh h"re and there a bed of r,ho cactus kind ; wretches of double white tuberose & inked by 100 varieties of the Japanc; ins, and these set off by pit"ht»r. ngl<>^' v. Uh variegated gladioltn, ip>]>:irt 'i •r ' : ':i < • th<* s<'ene that could i.uiy L'j jo 1.11 — * - 1 L- being seen. Many very fin..- loiAm^ j l.i"'< 1 bodgus roar themsi j l.i-% Puoa^'h'Miu Hi'; ground 1 -. The fronl:ige ie Limi>'' street is beautified by a hedge of pices and abias, both of the silver furze family. Lemons, citrons, oranges, and fruit of that class are allotted a prominent place. Last year Mr Mitchinson picked 1,5Jt)0 dozen oranges from one plantation alone. | Tho myrtle leaved orange laden with I golden globules, which are like unto " Dead Sea fruit" asserts itself strongly and looks vastly fine. Mr Mitchinson, though hard working, is by no means unmindful of the comforts of life, for his villa is a cosy one, and all visitors receive a hearty welcome, and are hospitably entertained. How far this hospitality must be taxed may be imagined from the fact that he often has to entertain twenty or thirty people in the one day, visitors from other parts of the colonies who have by some means heard of the beauties of the grounds and the fame of the presiding genius.

The seven acres dedicated to the growing of hedge plants and trees suitable for sheltering purposes is also methodically cut into sections, and here hundreds of thousands of younglings are tended. Apart from the usual varieties of the pine so much affected by the farmers and graziers, and the specimens of the plane, Mr Mitchinson has devoted much attention to the growthj of deciduous trees, and amongst these, the Spanish chestnut, tho walnut, English oak, American oak, Turkish oak, maple, sycamore, birch, beech, elm, American ash, English ash, and the native puriri, somo of which are already from five to six feet in height, predominate. Not forgetting the vegetable kind, though these are mostly grown for home consumption and presents to friends, tomatoes in several varieties usurp a deal of space, and cabbages, beet, peas, boans and such like are grown to profusion.

A bed of four or five thousand azaleas, comprising GO or 70 varieties, is no mean addition to the ground, and the quantity raised by Mr Mitchinson may be accounted for by the fact that not only is this line, but almost as regards all his products, the demand is daily growing from here to Auckland on the one hand, and here to Dunedin, including Wellington and Christchurch on the other.

Half an acre or more is devoted to viticulture, and though vines for many years retrograded, this year they are doing extremely well.

A very extensive bed of Persian and English lilacs is the pride of the owner, and the appearance of the young plants justifies the boast that he can beat anything grown in that way.

The whole property is bounded by Watson-street on the one side, Hobsonstreet on the other, nnd the cemetery and the railway on the others.

If for no other purpose, I should adviso my readers to pay Mr Mitchinson's r.ursery a visit fora dvmk of water in the height of summer. Should the thermometer register 115 degs. in the shade, I will guarantee that such visitor gets a glass of water that will set his teeth chattering. The supply is drawn from a well 40 feet deep, the last 18 inches being sunk into a rork formation which contains a spring from which the water bubbles clear aa crystal, and cool as the snows of Himalaya.

With the incomparable specimens of fruit, flower, and planting trees possessed by him, Mr Mitchinson, were he so inclined, could extend his business to such an extent that no nursery or seedsman could compete. As stated above, he supplies most of the seedsmen and nurserymen in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin, and yet tho Taranaki-ites send to those places for their supplies. What an anachronism ! 1