Even where the land was more receptive, settlers soon learned to take some precautions before planting their vegetables. Maize and pumpkin seeds were soaked in water for several days and then blackened with tar before planting - the most effective way to deter rats, mice and birds.

When possums were introduced in 1837 to start a fur industry, no one predicted that these Australian neighbours would naturalize with destructive enthusiasm, wreaking havoc on gardens and bush alike. Up to 20 million possums a year were killed during the height of the fur trade, but this barely checked their rapid expansion.

For those dependent on their gardens for fresh food, it was often a case of feast or famine... (One settler wrote), Strawberries were now so plentiful that... I made 287 lbs of jam...