SCHOOL OF HORTICULTURE IN RICHMOND PARK, MELBOURNE
The site covers 33 acres of ground. In 1890 the Government decided to start here an institution for the training of orchardists and small settlers, and during the past eight years much has been done to provide for teaching the regular and casual students, and those visitors calling in search of special information. Classroom instruction is given in horticultural science, vegetable pathology, botany, physical and commercial geography, entomology; measuring, levelling, designing, and plotting of homesteads, orchards, small farm and garden areas, and the most approved methods of raising and managing fruit trees and plants. Practical work includes the propagation and management of orchard trees, citrons, table grapes, bush fruits; harvesting, storing, packing, marketing, drying and canning fruit; vegetable culture; clearing, grading, and trenching land; management of soils, manures, drainage, and villa gardening.
The principal and his assistant carry out this programme by affording lessons daily in the classroom and field. In 1899 women students were first admitted. They have for the most part devoted their attention to the designing and making of villa gardens, vegetables and herb culture, and the special cultivation of table grapes and lemons—branches of commercial horticulture most suited to women. Previous to 1903 instruction was free, but a fee of £5 per annum is now charged. There is a steady advance in the number of students, and every indication of the school doing generally helpful work in the service of the State.
The school year extends from February to December.
The tabulated return on the following page of persons engaged in agricultural pursuits in 1901 is of interest. Only those subjects bearing reference specially to horticulture are mentioned.
A lady near Melbourne has recently bought a place and laid out a garden. There is about one acre of ground, and a five-roomed cottage with various outhouses, etc. The whole cost about £400, and has since increased in value. A telephone is attached, and a good many people in Melbourne ring up when they want flowers. These are despatched direct to the buyers by train, the station being only ten minutes’ walk from the house. All the flowers are hardy ones. The work is done by a gardener, who comes when wanted, and the rest is done by the lady herself. There has not so far been much profit, as it has only been started two years. As the garden is now well-established, it is supposed it will pay well in August, September, October, and November, which are the best months in Melbourne.
| Persons following Agricultural Pursuits. | Employers of Labour. | In Business on their own account, but not employing labour. | Receiving Salary or Wages. | Relatives assisting. | ||||
| Males | F’m’es | Males | F’m’es | Males | F’m’es | Males | Females | |
| Market Gardeners | 859 | 19 | 1,647 | 32 | 1,518 | 9 | 576 | 132 |
| Fruit Growers Orchardists | | 493 | 44 | 868 | 91 | 700 | 43 | 465 | 172 |
| Hop, Cotton, Tea, Coffee Grower | 10 | 2 | 7 | — | 48 | 48 | 9 | 2 |
| Tobacco Grower | 10 | — | 25 | — | 24 | — | 1 | — |
| Vine Grower Vigneron | 174 | 18 | 72 | 8 | 1,131 | 6 | 86 | 39 |
| Horticulturist | 237 | 7 | 571 | 17 | 2,132 | 7 | 107 | 39 |
NEW SOUTH WALES
“We are a young community and also a small one, otherwise we should have had at least a small college for lady gardeners ere now,” is the answer that comes to my inquiry on the subject. I am told, however, that there is fine scope for such a thing, and that the women of New South Wales are quite ready for it. Up to now they have chiefly confined themselves to bettering the conditions of labour in those departments voluntarily sought by women, rather than to forming new schemes.