THE CLAUDE LANDS NURSERY.

Waikato Times, Volume 2632, Issue 2632, 25 May 1889, Page 3

THE CLAUDE LANDS NURSERY.

Tilt; harvest of the nurseryman—the plantinjr season—may now bo sai'l to have fairly commenced, and, taking into consideration tho improving prospects of the colony, the present season should be a more than ordinarily busy one. No industry should feel the 'genial clow of returning prosperity more markedly. With brightening prospects, people will have some heart to plant and otherwise improve their holdings, whilst in times of depression they are restrained from expending more than is actually necessary in any direction, that planting will be "(rone on with more extensively this season than has been the case for Moon years past we have no doubt, and notwithstanding the comparative callings of the season, Mr Ma-on, of the GlaudelaniD Nurserv, has already executed a larcre number of orders for all descriptions of nursery stuff. We paid a visit, to this nursery during the present week, believing that a short descriptive account of its contents mir ht prove of timely interest to intending planter". Thesplendid niacrocarpa hedge oil the northern boundary of tho nursery is practical proof of the suitability of this tree for hedges. The hedge in question is about, 1-1 ft. high, and proves an effectual breakwind, being so compact that a bird could not force its way through. Macroearpa is tho coming hedge plant m this di.-tnct, io is uninjured by trimming, and catt.e will not eat it, which is a great point, in jt-s favour. Mr Mason sold about 00,000 plants last year, and this season has over 200,000 for disposal. African b>x thorn nnrl eWwnns i-ipnnica aro the only other hedge plants which are grown extensively in this nursery. We may mention that the latter is impervious to the attacks of insects. For ornamental hedges, privet ami holly are largely propagated, and a hedge of the latter, with its glossy dark green foliage is exceedingly handsome. Forty varieties of camellias, twenty of azaleas, and eighty of roses, give the lever of these popular shrubs a large, range for selection. Magnolias, rhododendrons, doutzias, lilacs, yuccas and daphnes are also grown largely, nn'l Mr Mason has many varieties of these in <toel;. Among the barberries, the beautiful foliage of lier'oeris Japonic,! Beali brings it. into prominence. The other ornamental shrubs that attracted our attention were hydrangeas, leucadendrons (the whileleaved ."ilvcr trees of the Cape colonists), raphiolepis Indica (Indian hawthorn) and raphiolepis ovata (the dark, shining leaves of which change to red in the autumn). The. various member* of the laurel family ar l also to be. procured from this nursery. This large ordrr of plants are all more or less aromatic and produce camphor,_ cinnamon. nutmegs, and ether commercial product-. Thujas, myrtles, and retinosporas are. well represented, many varieties of. ach being propagated. The latter shrubs lookvery"pretty at this season of the year, the winter tints of the foliage being uncommon and beautiful, Mr Mason has three or four varieties of kornmiko (or veronica, as our old friend is dubbed in Latin), the medicinal value of which is now generally well - known, the leaves oemg a ' specific in all bowel c .mp'aints, A pretty climbing plant, Mandevillea suavolens, ' bearing large clusters of sweetscented white blossoms, deserves notice, as nlso Wisteria sinensis, another climbing plant, with lavender - coloured llowers. To enumerate all the beauties to be found in the ornamental department at the Claudelands Nursery would be an endless task, and, contenting ourselves with what we have already written under this _ head, we pass on to things of a more utilitaiian chancier. To meet the growing demand for small fruits, Mr Mason has propagated on an nxltinsivn scnlo .'ilvmfc twenty-(n varieties of gooseberries, including a new one 'Ihe Smiling R"auf.v). which closely resembles Ihe Whitesmith, a popular horrv, and 0:10 that has proved satisfactory in every respect. He has also a large stock of currant bushes, strawberry plants, and rasubeirv cmos The apple, pear and plum trees are all weU-grown, the plum and pear trees being especially notice. «!,!.< bv lla-ir healthy, vigorous growth. Owing to the s'ieee--f , d eltortscf our local wine-inalcers, Waikato growers of grapes are assured <-f a market for the products of their n:irvar>K and we believe, tlrs year much 11.ore. wine would lia.n been msnu f1 el ore 1 had it not n-en for the scareiivof grapes, drape sin's aveeas-.lv grown, and v.'e are. sur;a'i-eil there has not beui ui-e'e p'anting done. I lie viue.s ,oj si'e at. Ohindekinds emprise those s->rts vVch thrive be.-t, in l!v< Waikato. K'mbarb ha; al.-o com", into request f. r winn-m-'ktmr. Mr Ma<on ili-po-r.il »f over 7eu 1. to Mr L'< Mesee. f..r this K'lr-p:,-e. This year he i- ; crowing a large nu'i bee <f new \ ora-ties, and v.-nl ha\-e th->. ' I'aily fo- ilispo--al liming the pie-

S'-1.1. season. Walnnls and 1 hr-ftnnts are \\-ell reiir-^enli 1 !!, huge sti eKs of t!ie forne-r b.'ion I'rii'ivn for the Auf - !-:lam! inarfet. Yv.limit's should be. more extensively planted i.-i Wail.-ito than is at |ire.-ent. the re-. The f, nit is in Oem-ind in the Auckland mai-liel. at from nineprnco (,o a. diillnu: ;i jmiiii; 1 , th o tiinhrr viil'ir.hlc, niid tho f,)-iv i-, a h'«nil.-:"!:'H nno. A>li, J'iioti, ciiti. d'll,', T 111:111 v ot !inr f'tnbt-r .Al/.Mason -rows aurl it pit v r{""s ni'h i-H'-l ''t ,n:ul !c-s cf tlm ninus \rhirh f-'O'" 11 s i'l have, snch i\ -trener m.m: til.' n i'Mis (f I !if W'u\\;i\tn ur.hlir:. H:wi ti s'i'- of -n'lif pcii'iniin \'alnn ivni pjnnteM i■;-I<*;■ < 1 ot tho InnulivrU of th ; )u:<».iHN of that !i:r«o liom sinclc in all over Mm; (li-t,ricf. sinco ifsottlfMin'iit", t,ho tiinhrr v.'niihlVy th i tin: n luvo n f vahv.h c-as-ci, and Ihn lnvnif-V tlio larifh-c^iy' <i!ih Tin* £nt\v!h "F Iti'C.si--1111 u* 11 niiivp. r:ipid in thi* t:.»hiTiy than <it Imitih', and il is a popular fallacy to iunpnir that eoMr-cnpiiMitlv t.iin tinihiT inf'M'iin'. S'.HlUi dost'i ipti»»ns nf tinih'"r, lmtahlv n.-'h. is inipftvt'H hy qnicl; rrmv.th, tlut tinihor of tmi! wln-n yniinr,' h(;in;r tmifrhnr and ir.nro snitnVih; for ninny pin"than Ih-it cu*. frnn'i f.irrs of t!;c same variety lint of slower frr'>wth. ft nrfffd'tii.it in planting timlw trnns a nian is inenily planfintr f"r a cminir and this is no doubt truo nf t.rsos i»lantod in (I mat I'.ritain : hut in planting in this cl-Hiv the conditions are moro. favourable, and tho planter may reasonably oxpect to piijoy somt: ( f the reward besides 1 <"»:"»vij Icr a valuable lecracy to his heirs. All t.!i!> olher dejtarl'uenls of the Claudelands Nursery are well-stocked, J'.nd we trust Mr Mason's energy and perseverance in his endeavour to ni:d<e his establishment, worthv of the district and thf> province will be reu-arded by a lartre share of public