tree. MULBERRY GROVES. 285 "The wild ungrafted mulberry-tree is longer lived than the grafted "Plantations of mulberry trees should be so arranged as to give a clear space round the root of the tree of at least four feet of otherwise uncultivated ground. About 750 to 800 trees could be advantageously planted in an acre of ground as a plantation; or they might be arranged as boundaries. "A cultivated tree will produce more nutritive matter to the worm than one left to shoot forth its suckers from the roots, and make more stems than one from the same root. "The most desirable mode of cultivating the Morus alba is as a standard. Not allowing branches to shoot out until it has attained a height of four feet at least. These trees admit of being stripped twice at least every year, and pollarded every second year. By this method the trees may not produce in the first year so much leaf, but as the tree increases in age it will give leaf both in larger quantities and superior quality to that produced from an uncultivated tree. "If the insects are well managed, 1lb. of sorted mulberry leaves will produce 1 ounce cocoons. In a climate such as that of Sydney it is anticipated that 1 lb. sorted leaves would produce 11⁄2 ounce cocoons. "A well-cultivated mulberry-tree, when at maturity, will produce 30 lbs. leaves at a crop. "It might become a consideration with small proprietors or tenants how far they would cultivate the white mulberry for the sale of the leaf alone. It would realize probably 2s. 6d. to 5s. per cwt. Suppose four crops in the year, equal to about from 2s. 6d. to 5s. per tree, or £8 6s. 8d. to £16 13s. 4d. 66 per acre. Suppose landed proprietors, as in Italy, were to grow mulberrytrees to supply tenants with the leaf to rear silkworms upon, the tenant finding the labour for attention to the insects and gathering the leaves, and the landlord providing the leaf and the necessary ground whereon to grow the leaf, and the landlord and tenant dividing the cocoons when brought to maturity; then, irrespective of the profit on the cocoon, the calculation would stand thus— £8 6 8÷2=4 3 4 Average £6 5s. the amount per acre which the landlord would receive as rent for the occupation of his ground alone, and the tenant would be reaping an advantage by his family, otherwise unproductive, who could attend to and rear the insects." Plantations. The following are the chief directions given for proceeding with plantations in Australia. We give them somewhat fully, from a conviction that the cultivation of the mulberry-tree will become very general at an early period. In fact, the prospects of small settlers, from the several avocations of the silk trade, appear to us to be much superior to those arising from those connected with the vine. Soil and Site.-Sheltered situations and deep soils are to be chosen. If the surface be only moderately fertile, anything better than a mere sand-bed, it cannot be too deep or too completely permeable to water. The free passage of water to a considerable depth (the above case alone excepted) is the most important condition toward the ultimate success of a plantation, or orchard. Fertility may be imparted artificially, but facility of drainage to the desired depth cannot be. Therefore, a soil is to be chosen in which there is no obstacle, such as rock or a strong tenacious clay, to impede the free passage of the water to a considerable depth, a score or two feet even, and the downward progress of the roots. If the subsoil be a mere bed of rubble stones or gravel, it is of no consequence, provided there be a fair depth of good loamy soil above. Of course the deeper and more fertile the surface soil the better. The mulberry and fig flourish best in a sandy soil, but it must be deep. The apple and the orange require a soil of greater consistency, especially the latter, which also prefers plenty of manure. Preparation of the Soil.-It will generally prove, at the end of four or five years, the most economical process to have trenched the land to a good depth. The progress of trees in a properly-prepared soil is much more rapid than in a soil not so prepared. At the very least, the trenching should be to a depth of two feet; if three, the labour will be remunerated in proportion. In trenching, the soil is not to be broken too fine, so as again to set into a solid immediately. In the state recommended, land retains more moisture in dry weather, and drains better in wet seasons. In deep loose soils, where there is no danger of a lodgment of water, trenching is of less consequence than elsewhere. In such soils the trees may be planted by merely opening holes, more or less wide and deep, according to the size of the roots. Unless in a soil naturally very loose and friable, these holes ought to be five or six feet wide, and at least two feet deep. But great care must be taken, where the subsoil is solid and tenacious, to guard against rain-water gathering, and being retained at the bottom of the hole; a drain led off from the bottom of the hole to a lower surface will effect this. But if no such means present itself, in a stiff subsoil, let the holes MULBERRY GROVES-HOW TO PLANT. 287 be wide, rather than deep, giving the roots facility for spreading sideways. After the hole has been opened, the soil should be returned until you are about to plant. Preparing the Holes and the Plants.-Early planting always succeeds better than later. Do not attempt it when the ground is very wet and heavy, after much rain; but it should be moist. If the land, however, be very dry, which will sometimes happen at the best season for planting, it will be best to open the holes for the trees the day before you plant; and, having placed the soil from them in one or two heaps, pour a few gallons of water upon them, having first formed a basin on the top of each heap to receive it. The next day, just before you plant, mix the wetted soil with the dry, both that within the hole and that which was thrown out, by turning it two or three times with the hoe or spade. Plant none but well-rooted vigorous plants. A small or badly-rooted tree rarely flourishes; at all events, a year or two in growth is sure to be lost, before they come to maturity, by using such plants. Omit no precautions and efforts to get the trees of the best sorts, and take care that they are the sorts you want; otherwise, when they come to bear, you may find yourself subjected to great disappointment. It is also far better to pay something more for strong healthy trees, where you have good assurance of their being what they are called, than to plant those which cost less at first, and turn out to be anything but what you want. If the plants you intend to use have grown near at hand, have them taken up, if possible, with every root, and preserve the roots from the drying effects of the sun and wind, until you can get them into their destined places. If your plants come from a distance, they will scarcely fail, in this climate, to have suffered more or less during the transit: much, however, may be done to prevent injury by careful packing. It is a good plan to freshen their roots by soaking in water, for several hours, before planting: doing so will also render the roots more pliable, and less likely to break. Their heads also should be well cut back, if it were not done on taking up. The practice is serviceable to greater or less extent, whenever trees are removed in a warm climate. Planting. Every hole should be made large enough to receive the roots without cramping or twisting them round. As much of the soil should be returned into each hole as will form a flattened cone in the centre, at such a depth below the edge as will, when the tree is placed upon it, bring its collar (the point where the root and stem join) as nearly as may be level with the surface. If there be much depth of very loose earth under the plant, some allowance must be made for settling. Spread the roots out by hand, very carefully, all round upon the surface of the cone; if you have it, scatter two or three spadefuls of well-decomposed manure, lightly, just over the roots; it will greatly promote the formation of young fibres. But do not give more than this small quantity, unless in planting orange-trees: it does harm in too great profusion, Add the remainder of the soil, not throwing it in roughly, but as lightly as it can be placed, care being taken to hold the stem in an upright position whilst the hole is being filled up, and to lift it up once or twice during the operation to bed the roots thoroughly in the loose soil. If you have water at hand do not, according to common practice, press the soil down with the feet; but form the surface into a small basin of twothirds the diameter of the hole, and laying in all round the stem a quantity of rushes or hay, of thickness sufficient to break the force of the water, pour in four, six, or eight buckets of water, according to the dryness of the soil and the extent of the roots. The more rapidly the quantities of water succeed each other the better; the quantity itself must be determined by the state of the soil; if it be in a moist state naturally, the action of a very small quantity of water will sufficiently settle it down; otherwise a larger quantity must be used, as it is desirable to have the whole of the soil moistened at once. Repeated waterings are to be avoided, and rain may come not sufficiently early. Well watered in this way at once, the tree may endure a drought of months' duration without injury. A few hours after planting, or, at all events, before the wetted surface begins to dry, throw some dry earth over it to prevent the watered surface from caking and cracking into fissures; and, at a convenient opportunity, level the surface around the stem, observing that, in a climate subject to drought, it is not advisable to leave the ground about the stem of the tree higher than it is around, but if anything the reverse. The best season for planting deciduous trees is as soon as possible after the fall of the leaf. Evergreens, such as the orange and loquat, succeed best by being planted in early spring or in autumn; in either case it is a prudent precaution to cut them well back when they are taken up, and to remove almost all their leaves, especially if they are to be conveyed far. An evergreen tree planted in this climate, with its branches and leaves entire, runs a great risk of perishing before the roots can strike sufficiently to support it. If you could be sure that the air would continue for some time saturated with moisture, the removal of any large portion of the leaves would be improper; so long as the leaves can absorb moisture from the atmosphere they will continue fresh, and contribute to the early growth of the root. But in the climate of Australia the atmosphere may, at the VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONS IN AUSTRALIA. 289 time of transplanting, be loaded with moisture, and in a day or two be in a state of dryness unknown in England. The system of leaves then becomes positively injurious, the moisture from the stem and roots being exhausted to supply the loss from such an extent of evaporating surface; whilst the leaves themselves wither, leaving the plant in a worse condition than it would have been in had they been removed with the greater part of the young shoots at the time of taking up. The only exception is in the case of resinous cone-bearing trees. In planting out evergreens or other plants from pots, which may be done with success at almost any season, there is another danger to be guarded against. A plant growing in a pot has almost always a very considerable quantity of roots in proportion to the soil it occupies. In dry weather this little mass of earth will become so dry by the mere absorption of the plant alone as to require being well moistened every day; if the watering be neglected for a single day, the soil becomes so dry that the water refuses to penetrate. The surface may look moist after a watering, but yet the water may have escaped by the sides and bottom of the pot, without having reached more than a very little way into the body of earth. List of Vegetable Productions Flourishing in Australian Climate. Almonds flourish remarkably in Australia, ripening in February. Apples, in all the cooler parts of the colony. Apricot-tree, chiefly as a standard, produces abundantly everywhere. Asparagus grows well on all soils. Artichokes grow very large, and of very fine flavour. Banana, on the seacoast; flourishes at Port Stephen, but requires a sheltered situation. Beans, beet, broccoli, all grow more luxuriantly than in England. Celery and cucumber; these two vegetables flourish anywhere throughout the colony, the most arid districts excepted. The latter is often sown between the rows of maize. Cherry, chestnut, currant; the two former succeed best; the latter runs too much to wood, except on high grounds. Cotton flourishes highly under cultivation. A wild species is found growing very luxuriantly in some parts: will not pay as produce. Cabbages grow well throughout the colony, and are found very hardy. Carrots, suited to the climate, but not so productive. Figs grow throughout the colony, with no further attention than that of planting, producing two crops per year. The fruit is of the |