Wynberg, 14th January, 1866.
My Dear Sir.— I am favoured with yours of 25th November, 1865,
and
which you say: "You would render me an important service by furnishing briefly some
information
what trees are in your country planted for avenues and for forest culture, and what
relative value is attached to each kind as regards celerity of growth, fitness for
exposure, yield and value of timber, superiority of umbrageousness, facility of propagation,
resistance to climatic influences, &c.
"Forest culture and lining our public roads with avenues will soon become an important
element in the economy of our state; hence any information on these subjects, gained
by you in your locality or elsewhere, would be with particular gratitude received
for my guidance."
With us arboriculture is still an enterprise of the future. Important experiments
have been made by enterprising men in different parts of the Colony, with results
which tend to show the adaptation of the soil and climate in different localities
to secure the healthful growth of particular trees; but except in the immediate neighbourhood
of Cape Town, the plantation of trees has not been carried to any great extent.
Many years ago a fine avenue of orange trees formed the approach to the residence
of Mr. Hart, at Somerset, and similar avenues of orange trees lined the streets of
Graaff-Reinet; but it is in this neigbbourhood alone that I have seen mountain sides
covered with plantations.
In border fences in gardens, rosemary and different species of pelargonium are used.
The plumbago, the buddleia, the tecom,
and the cassia, form ornamental fences of greater strength.
Fences at once ornamental and useful are formed of the myrtle, the pomegranate, and
the quince.
For the same purpose the Kei apple and a thorn-bearing plant of the order of
, found in British Kaffraria,
have been strongly recommended by the Rev. Mr. Brownlee, of King William's Town.
Of the latter I send with this a fruit. Of the Kei apple (
) I have already sent to you a supply of seeds; but I shall forward a few more with
this. lt has this advantage over the other, that the preserved fruit, or rather a
jelly prepared from the fruit, imparts to the rind of pumpkins, water-melons, and
similar fruits, the flavour of fresh apples, when mixed with these in small quantities
and cooked.
For the culture of this Mr. Brownlee gives the following directions: "The seeds should
be planted as soon afte the fruit falls as possible, either in rows or in seed beds,
to be transplanted into rows in which they may stand for two or more years till the
plants attain a height of about two feet."
Very dense fences are formed by the hakea when properly cut; and we have similar quick
fences of oak.
Different species of aloes, the American agave, and the prickly pear are also planted
as fences.
On roads in this vicinity, good shade is afforded by lofty closely-planted trees of
; still better by similar rows of
; and better still by similar rows of oaks planted more widely apart.
Where there is moisture, the same advantage, combined with more beauty of outline
is secured by rows of what appears to be the
, which is very similar to some of the drooping willows which are cultivated in England.
In soil intermediate in degree of moisture between what is required for these and
that which suffices for pine trees, the woolly poplar is grown with advantage.
The blue-gum is coming into general use; and lt looks well when introduced at regular
intervals into the line of lower-growing fences. But still more graceful in such circumstances
is the casuarina.
In burying-grounds, several species of cypress grow well with us, forming stiff but
stately avenues, in keeping with the conventional requirements of the place. And hakeas
have in some cases been intermingled with these with good effect.
From what I have seen of these, I am led to conclude that as an outer fence for cemeteries
a thick-set fence of hakeas, close cut and dense, with willows, casuarinas, and blue-gums,
properly introduced at regular distances, would meet the taste of many, and that as
linings to the walks the same trees, without the connected hakea hedge, but with hakeas
and cypresses alternating with the other trees, would rneet an ungratified craving
which is felt at times on visiting the resting-place of the dead.
l shall send you copies of letters on arboriculture which I have had occasion to address
to different parties in this Colony which will supply much of the additional information
you observe
.
I am, &c.,
