The Express.
London, England, 1853-09-23 00:00:00

A GARDENER'S ACCOUNT OF AUSTRALIA.

Mr. Edward Vare, head gardener to theiter. C. A.
Belli, rector of South Weald, Brentwood, has just received
the followlnit letter from Edward Neville; a young, man,
formerly under gardener at the above place, who emigrated
to Australia a short time same :

Richmond, Port Phillip, Victoria,
Australia, May 8, 1853.
Dear Friend,—l arrived gee in Australia on the 11th
December, 1852, after a beautiful voyage; When I tint
landed at Hobeon's Bs), I thought tie appatrance of the
country must unpromising, but on reachWg the town I
found it an immense place of business. The streets, which
acs conveniently wade are laid oat at right angles, end
there are some good bOildings for • young colony, Every-
thing was very dear, in consequence of having to be lin-
=end, like other fresh comers, I thought it seriously
mypemiaisry resources. It je a,fint-rate place for
William nod masehemics, who are in great demand—moms
and especially, who get from 11. to IL 10s. per
, mold to make their fortunes in • few years. This
is the intostry for the poor man, who is well paid
for any of labour—indeed, the lowest wages of a
labourer en Iles geode is 10e. per day. I have obtained a
situation of 1041/a pee year with first rate board and lodging.
Lodging is net smelly to get, and house rent is very deer
here. Many of the old settlers who bought ground and
built on it before the gold discovery are now making rapid
fortunes, for town and suburban lots are selling at very high
rates—in some instances as much as 1501. • foot, so that a
man needs • large capital to commence business with, but
if he eon only snake • start there is no fear of success, as
anything will soli hero. I orlon I had brought out none'
good shoes which would have fetched an extraordinary price,
as common ones are fetching IL per pair—in fact, • person
cannot bring out a wrong article. My employer's garden is
well-stocked with young trait-trees, which promise heavy
crops this season—the peaches rue very fine on standards,
and the grapes and melees flourish without artificial heat.
The trims were brought from Van Diemen's Land, and
judging from the immense quantities of fruit they export to
our shores, I might well term It the garden of the southern
world. The soil here varies very considerably, but is gene-
rally of a light sandy ham, with clay bottom—in some ,
places it is of rich black roil, rocky subsoil, with large'
stones on the surface, while in others it is very swampy and
almost useless. The gum trees, of which there are several
varieties around Melbourne, are very ugly: they are ever-
green, with leaf resenshliog the willow, and the timber is to
exceedingly hard that it can only be used as fisewoo .
We chiefly depend upon Van Diemen's Land for timber,
although there is plenty in the interior of the country,
but the expense of carriage over bad roads would be far
rester than if exported from the former place. The grime
o now getting green, but during the summer months it
is quite scorched by the burning sun and sand, and it is
wonderful how the cattle live ; we have, however, some
very fine beast and sheep from the country, the latter
like the Merino sheep in the park of C. T. Tower, Esq.
It is the opinion that the colony of Victoria will nevar be
able to supply itself with breadstuff*, owing to the slow
of agriculture caused by the 'sanity of labour.
clasegr niloseems to be • steady influx of gold, but It is to be
feared the yield of the precious commodity has not kept
pace with the increase of digging, and that many have dome
and are doing very badly. There are, however, unmis-
takeable ',lgraine that many have done well at the
diggings, as penile frequently return and are seen sporting
their money in all digestions. There cannot be a more in-
dependent plass them this in the whole world. I have been
to Mount Ala:ander iliggings, • journey of 100 miles from
Melbourne, wbM sosupied three days. In the winter
seams the Mil ere elms' impassable, and the journey
sometimes Tails• Ma* j the eon of conveying goods
has been as es ICOI. per ME. Imagine the traveller
having to make W passage tisiougli forests, over water-
boles, where the dray g.m Math fist, and has to be un-
leaded to be ozirisatod ; steep hills and precipices, and
ihnollk SWIM she wayside for the night
▪ essidop IMMO syse is sompany with haw'
ends ef sirsmiess. rill ihe bees is beyoad conception ;
dm, after a seep amass is a blanket, and brekfast, re-
main dr keg imd ealissmiesieury. On my arrival at
1..= neiplthenrbeed studied with
tenee, aM bomilmade of awes of ground
beams& ail ever_ by Ai ftgess, who looked like so many
ben ..weekat • benereemb; but I returned without try-
ing my Intim is the pia. lottery. I hope, however,
to seaters is earnest • souse *oo as it is the opiaka of
some that there le plentyi liford yet, while others think it
is newly worked out. who have been com-
pelled be work all day is watilieL7to subsist cm bad pro-
videos and watery and pat ep with Indifferent teat swore-
nasdailee, hue their hard-same trunires at the
mean of • rained auseitatioa. I wish you and many
men of my old somplaleas were here, although I can teU
you It is • serious water foe a married maa with a family
to cope with the You would be charged 21. per
week for a as* MA new ; 4 lb. loaf, le. ed. ; beef
and mattes 411. to IL lb., offal given away ; tea sad coffee
la. 2d. lb., perk sad hues la. 64. lb. The publicans,
who *tithe wee mimes in the osisay„ chugs Is. per
pint for beer. Bat me will mesa be cheaper, as house are
▪ pre stag up lam youshousr—drusemds buildieg, and
thousands of people NO air Sea* OD ear shores. I
regret to say I mama sessemasad this as • very pleasant
country to live in, as the due is very troublesome', and
water scarce and sometimes impregnated with minerals,
which make it very unpalatable. Our bumble domicile is
now at Richmood, about two miles from Melbourne, but
before this reaches you it will be all Melbourne. Our
household consists of master and mistress, myself, grown,
and female servant, who are charmed with the delightful
harriSony of three native magpies, two parrots, a pretty
cockatoo, pigs, goats, poultry, tkc. We have between
two and three noes of garden ground, two-thirds of which
is well stocked with fruit trees. We have had an
abundant crop of black 'lambic' and sweet water
grapes, but I have not seen any muscats in the colony,
although there are plenty of very fine at Adelaide, South
Austr slim, which is much hotter, and consequently more
suitable for their growth ;than Melbourne. Oar apple,
plum, apricot, and quince trees have been planted about
tea years, and are as large as 28 years' growth in England.
On the 24th of April I gathered about two bushels of the
finest quinces I ever saw off one tree; indeed this is a fine
fruit country. I have nothing to do but gardening, in
which I am assisted by the groom, so I get on very well. I
am rather puzzled to know the seasons, as it seems you may
reap and mow all the year except the middle of summer, when
there is • drought. Master and manna are quite old folks,
who have made their fortunes in the auctioneering business;
they like to see us comfortable, and allow us to smoke, eat,
drink, and work when we think proper—l wonder who
wouldn't come to Australia! Indeed I tell you plainly :bat I
would rather be transported to Van Diemen's Land than
work in England. happy would it have been for me ii I
had come here two years before I did, as I might have ac-
quired an independency by this time, but must be content
with saving IL per week. Remember me to all friends and
acquaintances, and tell them this is the poor man's country.
The autumn is fast setting in upon us, and with it a great

nwey evils Indigestees to Bagfaud. The ship an wane
thaa in the vieatsge to
whew I have swat sway
happy hours. We have few birds, and sonsequently
a great sway insists of all Wags. The ws seem
to be of the ease sorts as is Inland. The autumn Is
much pleasanter than the summer, there being ae togs,
and the days are not so abort as In England. I inclose my
addles' sad hope soon to hear free soy friends, as I has*
sot yet rewired their letters, although I uaderstaad letters
lying at the Post-odice bearing ay wine haw bees claimed
sad carried away Sy ether persons of the sass name.—
Essex Nereid.