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

finest flavour, abundant in quantity, and presses well. It is expected to become an article of export.

Gooseberries grow, but not encouragingly, except on the higher

grounds.

Grapes, of every variety, are now produced in great plenty; and wine and brandy are becoming valuable exports, 150,000 gallons having been sent out in 1851.

Herbs; the common culinary herbs grow well; so also does watercress in the proper situations, together with garden-cress, lettuce, &c.

Hop this plant is now growing with a rapidity and luxuriance unknown in Europe; the flavour is excellent; the latest accounts from Illawara speak of its success on the brush lands of that district in the highest terms.

Loquats flourish well in gardens.

Lemons flourish remarkably, either as hedgerow bushes or standards. They have long been a very common tree in the colony: some orchards have even become worn out for some years, through neglect, after having arrived at perfection.

Mulberries are now becoming a most important article of plantation produce, as will be noticed in connection with silk. It is found that the tree flourishes everywhere throughout the colony.

Melons; this rich fruit is produced in the greatest abundance, even in the hottest parts, with no further attention than that of depositing the seeds in the ground under the open sky. Melons sometimes reach 20 lbs. and 24 lbs. in weight, and sell at from 6d. to 2s. each. About the more populous and long-settled districts their price is smallest, for scarcely any little cultivator neglects to throw in a few clusters of seed amongst his corn.

Mushrooms plentiful in South Australia; not so much so in the elder colony. The traveller, however, is sometimes surprised by coming on a damp morning upon some solitary spot, especially where horses frequent, and finding thousands, in their various stages, rising before him.

Maize and millet flourish luxuriantly in all ordinary seasons. There is generally a double crop to be brought in by the settler. The "forʼard corn," as it is called, is planted early, on land especially devoted to it for the year; the "late corn," or "stubble corn," as it is also called, is maize planted, after the wheat is reaped, amidst its stubble, sometimes without even burning the stubble. A single furrow is struck with the plough, or a single hole made with the hoe, and the seed just cast in and covered up. The stubble crop is of course not so good as the crop

of "for'ard corn."

PLANTS THAT FLOURISH IN AUSTRALIA,

291

Olive grows in all the milder districts. It is considered to be a tree of great promise. The attention of the colonists has lately been turned to the commercial value of the tree for the sake of its oil.

Orange; near Paramatta there are some very valuable plantations, furnishing large quantities of fruit to the Sydney market. An original owner and planter (a Mr. Mobbs) is said to have made a very considerable fortune from fruit in the course of a few years.

Onions grow very well wherever the ground affords an average quantity of moisture. About the Hawkesbury, and in Illawarra and the Curryjong, some splendid beds are often to be met with; as also at Bathurst, and in various parts of the new country.

Peas grow freely and produce abundantly throughout the colony. Peach, chiefly met with as a standard. Its yield is immense; so also is the comparative size of the fruit. The little settlers make intoxicating liquors (cider, brandy) from the produce of their peach-orchards; many bring home whole drayloads together of the ripe windfalls to feed their pigs.

Potatoes grow freely throughout the colony; but not so well in the middle and northern districts as they do in the southern and interior. The Hawkesbury, Bathurst, Argyle, Illawarra produce this vegetable in perfection; and the potato disease, which has made such havoc elsewhere, is unknown.

Pineapples, pomegranates, plantains, pears, plums, all flourish in various localities: parsnips grow well enough in the less arid soils.

Quince is met with flourishing wherever it has been planted; but that is by no means extensively.

Rhubarb grows to an enormous size in the parts suitable to it.
Radishes, ditto.

Raspberries, on the hilly southern districts, are produced freely.
Strawberries, ditto.

Spinach, seakale, sweet potatoes, grow well on the soils and in the situations suitable to them.

Tobacco grows very well throughout the colony. It is a plant which requires, however, good soil and a sufficiency of moisture, as well as a tolerably genial climate. All the seacoast brushes, and all the interior alluvial soil on the river-banks, and the sides of the mountains where brushes originally grew, are most suitable.

Turnip; abundant during winter and spring in favourable situations, but very little cultivated. No field cultivation.

Walnut; but lately introduced; growing luxuriantly, but does not appear suited for all localities.

Wheat; no finer wheat is grown in the world than some produced in Australia: samples shown at Mark-lane lately have been pronounced equal to any ever seen. Generally it is very good. It is a grain, however, which requires to be looked after to save it from the attacks of insects after ripening.

Yams; this very fine and productive vegetable requires good soil, but is well worth any such charge upon the cultivator's means and care.

Tools and Implements for a New Farm.

Common Australian falling-axe (forged only in the colony).-Mem: If the settler mean to work himself, with one labourer, he will need, of course, two axes; if with two labourers, three axes, and so on. They must be hafted and ground in the settlement. Heavy poll on at least one; each handle of different length; each axeman will find out his own. Morticing axe; two rather than one in all cases, for they are very apt to get spoiled.

Auger,inch, 1 inch, 14 inch.

Cross-cut saw,

6 feet plate at least; 7 feet better. Square teeth. Files for ditto, at least half a dozen; and saw set.

Maul, or, as termed in some parts of England, beetle. The rings will be forged by the smith at the settlement; the labourer must be able to put them on. Each man that works at splitting requires a maul. A few small iron wedges: make the blacksmith jag the edges so that, once in the wood, they will not come out again.

Set of splitting wedges.

Only one set is required.

Broad axe.

Generally, half a dozen go to one set.

Adze. Mem. All tools that require grinding may be ground at the settlement.

Spades for digging post holes-a peculiar sort; to be purchased at the company's stores. Also common spades.

Spud and pick; to be procured from blacksmith.

Hoes. These also are a purely colonial article, 12 inches in the blade, strongly supported on the back, and with thoroughly substantial eye. The smallest settler should have at least four.

With these tools and implements a crop may be got in; without them, not, unless in a very blundering makeshift manner.

The larger settler will require all the above; he will also require many more, but how many, and what, will depend entirely on the extent of his operations.