1839.] AGRICULTURE AND HORTICULTURE. 241 



the foliage of the evergreens, aud the peculiar appearance of 

 the leaves of many of the gum trees. These are often seen, — 

 for Nature here is delighted with showing her perverseness, — 

 inverted in position, or set edgewise, the margin being di- 

 rected towards the stem, and the two surfaces resembling 

 each other. 



In regard to the state of agriculture in Australia, but little 

 can be said. The extensive plains on the terraces of that part 

 of the country lying in the temperate zone, afford such excel- 

 lent facilities for pasturage, that the prejudice of the colonists 

 is strongly in favor of that branch of husbandry Among the 

 grains produced in this section, wheat predominates ; its cul- 

 tivation, like that of the other cerealia, is carried on much in 

 the same manner as in England. The Illawarra district, 

 south of Sydney, is especially famous for the large crops of 

 fine grain which it produces. In the tropical regions, but 

 little attention is paid to raising edible productions, as sago is 

 obtained in abundance from different species of palm, and 

 there are several varieties of arum, much used for food. 



Agricultural and horticultural exhibitions are frequently 

 Held at Sydney, which exert a highly beneficial influence. 

 In all the large towns, a great deal of taste is displayed in 

 ornamental gardening. Bowers and trellises, loaded with 

 choice grapes, or flowering vines; elegant fuchsias, twenty 

 feet high ; geraniums, of such thrifty growth, that they are 

 twined into hedgerows ; passion-flowers concealing the entire 

 fronts of pretty little cottages; and American aloes, of pro- 

 digious size, attract the notice of the passer-by. In the coun- 

 try there are beautiful orchards and gardens, separated by 

 neat hawthorn hedges, and well stocked with fruits and veg- 

 etables. And even in the new settlements, you will often see 

 a cleared patch of ground, amid the stumps, surrounded by a 

 ring fence to keep out the cattle and pigs, abounding with 

 the choicest esculents and the freshest flowers, and 



"With tulips, like the ruddy evening, streak'd." 



(5.) If anomalies and peculiarities mark the botany of 



11 



