A Distinct New Zealand Flavour

McNab's Gift to Dunedin

Case 8 - The home gardner

Michael Murphy. Handbook of New Zealand Gardening: with a chapter on bee-keeping. Christchurch, N.Z.: Whitcombe & Tombs, [1885].

Michael Murphy. Handbook of New Zealand Gardening: with a chapter on bee-keeping. Christchurch, N.Z.: Whitcombe & Tombs, [1885].

In the preface to the first edition of his gardening book, Michael Murphy (1833-1914) modestly claimed neither great originality, nor great gardening knowledge, yet these books were in steady demand over many years.

Michael Murphy. Handbook of New Zealand Gardening: with a chapter on bee-keeping. Christchurch, N.Z.: Whitcombe & Tombs, [1885].

Michael Murphy. Handbook of New Zealand Gardening: with a chapter on bee-keeping. Christchurch, N.Z.: Whitcombe & Tombs, [1885].
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Michael Murphy. Handbook of Gardening for New Zealand: with chapters on poultry & bee-keeping. 2nd edition. Christchurch, N.Z.: Whitcombe and Tombs, [1888].

Michael Murphy. Handbook of Gardening for New Zealand: with chapters on poultry & bee-keeping. 2nd edition. Christchurch, N.Z.: Whitcombe and Tombs, [1888].

Murphy was well-known in the Canterbury Agricultural & Pastoral Association, and as editor of the New Zealand Country Journal.

Michael Murphy. Handbook of Gardening for New Zealand: with chapters on poultry & bee-keeping. 2nd edition. Christchurch, N.Z.: Whitcombe and Tombs, [1888].

Michael Murphy. Handbook of Gardening for New Zealand: with chapters on poultry & bee-keeping. 2nd edition. Christchurch, N.Z.: Whitcombe and Tombs, [1888].
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Michael Murphy. Handbook of Gardening for New Zealand: with chapters on poultry & bee-keeping. 3rd edition. Christchurch, N.Z.: Whitcombe and Tombs, [1895].

Michael Murphy. Handbook of Gardening for New Zealand: with chapters on poultry & bee-keeping. 3rd edition. Christchurch, N.Z.: Whitcombe and Tombs, [1895].

These books were useful for the home gardener at a time when much of a household's food came from home gardens. A final edition was published in 1907.

Michael Murphy. Handbook of Gardening for New Zealand: with chapters on poultry & bee-keeping. 3rd edition. Christchurch, N.Z.: Whitcombe and Tombs, [1895].

Michael Murphy. Handbook of Gardening for New Zealand: with chapters on poultry & bee-keeping. 3rd edition. Christchurch, N.Z.: Whitcombe and Tombs, [1895].
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George Suttor. The Culture of the Grape Vine, and the Orange, in Australia and New Zealand. London: Smith, Elder, 1843.

George Suttor. The Culture of the Grape Vine, and the Orange, in Australia and New Zealand. London: Smith, Elder, 1843.

Sydney's pioneer grape grower George Suttor (1774-1859) started his vineyard and orange orchard at Parramatta in 1801. He subsequently visited European vineyards and translated material written in French to write this book. When Samuel Marsden began his mission station in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand, Suttor sent cuttings from his own garden. In these pages he explained what happened to those vines, and commented on the suitability of this country for all manner of economic crops.

George Suttor. The Culture of the Grape Vine, and the Orange, in Australia and New Zealand. London: Smith, Elder, 1843.

George Suttor. The Culture of the Grape Vine, and the Orange, in Australia and New Zealand. London: Smith, Elder, 1843.
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