VERBA MATE.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 579, 8 October 1932, Page 23 (Supplement)

VERBA MATE.

A correspondent writing from Welling, ton says: ‘Tie growing yerba mate in New Zealand' it may be of interest to your readers to hear that it cannot be grown commercially in this country, because it requires a depth of soil, which in New Zealand, is only very rarely found, and then only in small patches. In Paraguay, where the best mate grows, there is a great depth of virgin soil. No doubt it would be possible to grow small shrubs of it for ornamental purposes, but as far as I know there arc none now growing in New Zealand.” As a commercial venture I am in accordance with the views of our correspondent, for to try and transplant an industry peculiar to a certain country into another district is very difficult, and often leads to failure. The source of mate is a tree known as Ilex Paraguayensis, a variety of “holly,” and it will grow wherever the holly will grow. There was a tree in the gardens of the late Mr. Poynton, S.M., and probably there are others about. As an ornamental tree or shrub it is outclassed by other varieties of the common holly, Ilex aquifolium, at thf same time the economic value is sufficient to warrant it a place amongst our lists of ornamental shrubs.