404 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [November i, 1882. 



THE BRISBANE BOTANIC GARDENS. 



From the Brisbane Botanic Gardens and from tliose 

 of the Acclunatization Society the farmers and hor- 

 ticulturists of Queensland have been liberally sup- 

 plied with plants suited to tropical and intertropical 

 climates, to the great profit of individuals as well 

 as to the advantage of the country. The Botanic 

 Garden, judging from its last report, seems as flour- 

 ishing and useful as ever. For instance, it is stated 

 that : — 



Several varieties of cinchona have been planted, and 

 are doing well. I here have also being planted seviTal 

 varieties ot Landolphin, valuiible rubber plants dis- 

 covered in West Africa by Dr. Kirk. Tri.-il beds of 

 Liberian coffee and Assam tea have also been formed. 

 Two stools of each variety ot sugar-cane in the collec- 

 tion at Osley (fort.v- two in all) have also been planted 

 in these beds, and have do«n remarkably wtll. 



And we have a reference to both sjjecies of coffee 

 in the following extracts :— 



It is also mentioned in this report that during the 

 year many coffi-e planters from Ceylon have visited the 

 gardens, and all have expressed their admiration of 

 the productiveness of the coil'ee plant in Queensland, 

 as shown by the group of specimens in these gar dena 

 — the crop of berries being greatly in excess of any- 

 thing they have seen in Ceylon for some years, owing 

 to the ravages of the coffee-leaf disease. This dise^ise 

 being unknown in this colony, it is the unanimous 

 opinion of these gentlemen that if cheap labour could 

 be obtained coffee-growing would become a great and 

 profitable industry ; as it is, many small farmers are 

 turning their attention to colfee-growing, and find it 

 more profitable than the exclusive cultivation of corn 

 or potatoes, especially where there is a family of 

 children to gather the berries. Several small quanti- 

 ties of green berries have been disposed of in Brisbane 

 at from 8d to lOd per pound. Liberian offee also 

 promises to do well, at least in Northern Queeusland, 

 it being very successfully grown on the Herbert River 

 by Mr. F. Neame, of Macnade, and Mr. H. A. VVick- 

 hani, of Maragen. The demand for plants of this 

 variety has been exceptionally great from all parts of 

 the colony, and all applicants have been supplied 

 from the plants in stock. In order to guard against 

 the introduction of disease, it is intended not to intro- 

 duce any more seed frum Ceylon or Fiji, the seed of 

 Liberian coffee kindl-' sent from the Herbert River 

 being quite equal to the imported seed. 



Upwards of 5,000 coffee plants have been distributed, 

 including 1,000 Coffiea Lilcrica, of which there are 

 now 2,000 plants in stock. 



The demand for general economic plants has also 

 been very great, especially from Northern Queensland, 

 and among others the cinchi na tree has been 

 distributed. The resources of the establishment 

 have been taxed to the utmost in the supply of tro- 

 pical economics, and if this is to be maintained in- 

 creased means of propagation will be required. Dur- 

 ing the year 15,000 plants and ninety collections of 

 seed were distributed. 



The curator acknowledges his indebtedness to the 

 British-India Company for gratuitous carriage of plants 

 and seeds to and froui Europe. 



In connection with the Oxley Forest Reserve, it i« 

 stated that when it became known that the sugar- 

 cane growing on this reserve was to be distributed 

 among intending planters, applications from all p.arts 

 became very numerous, aud during August and Sep- 

 tember, 40 tons in forty varieties were distributed 

 to seventy applicants. As it was impossible to meet 

 all demands, an .additional two acres was plan ti^d, aud 

 this will probably be all required fur distribution this 



season. Notwithstanding the drought the young cane 

 has done exceedingly well, wnich may be attributed 

 to the ground h.aving been well cultivated before 

 planting. 



The forestry department has also been considerably 

 extended. A quantity of plants of silky oak (_Gre- 

 villca rohii^ta), Moreton Bay eliesnut {Caslanospermum 

 Aii.itrah-), p\aiies [Plataniiii occidftitalis), poplars, willows, 

 and midberries of various kinds have been raised. 

 There are now ready for distribution about 15,000 

 plants of red cedar (Gedrela AuMralis). It is much 

 to be regretted that owners of suitable land do not 

 plant this valuable timber tree more largely, especially 

 when any number of plants would be supplied by 

 the Government from this nursery. 



That little word " if " is amongst the most import- 

 ant in the English language. If only the Queens- 

 landers can obtain a sujjply of cheap labour and if 

 they can only keep out the ubiquitous aud deadly 

 fungus, the coffee euterprize may be as great a suc- 

 cess amongst them as sugar promises to be. Btit 

 there are gi-eat diiiiculties about cheap labour, and we 

 fear that, in ceasing to import seed from Ceylon and 

 Fiji, our southern friends have but closed the stable 

 door after the steed was stolen. If Hcmihia vastalnx 

 followed Ceylon coffee to Fiji we scarcely see how it 

 is possible that it should not develop in Queensland. 

 But whether it does or not coffee is not likely to be 

 grown on a large scale until the labour wants of the 

 sugar euterprize are met. The Agricultural editor of 

 the Qucenslandtr states : — 



A correspondent writing from the North, and com- 

 menting favourably upon the article on " Coffee," 

 which appeared in our pages a few weeks back, ex- 

 presses surprize that we did not recommend leaving 

 large trees standing here aud there in the plantation. 

 It is hardly possiide for any one acquainted with, the 

 nature of our forest trees, aud aware ot the scant 

 rainfall ot the colony, to say one word in favour of 

 such a practice. Established forest trees semi their 

 surface roots through every inch of space within 50 

 or 60 yards of their stem, aud if they find a bit of 

 worked giound will pounce upon it, to the injury 

 of the tender plant ; and even if weekly attentions 

 were bestowed upon such worked plots the feediug 

 roots of the olrl veterans could not be kept out of 

 it. Besides, the coffee plant is not tender so far as 

 sun is concerned ; it revels in our greatest heat, so 

 long as it is well supplied with moisture ; water in 

 good quantity, however, is a siiK quel non, and for 

 that reason large trees would be the bane or ruin of 

 the coffee shrub. In climates such as Ceylon or Java, 

 where the raiuf.ill is nurstlj' in excess of recjuirenients, 

 large trees may be of service in absorbing some of 

 the superabundant moisture. The only things that 

 have ever withered thpciififee plant in Queensl.and, so far 

 as can be ascertained, .are frost and drought, either 

 of which cut up the plants severely. To avoid the 

 former, plant only well up on hill-sides ; and to escape 

 drought, practice deep cultivation. 



The position taken up respecting shade even in the 

 dry climate of Queensland is, we believe, correct ; at 

 any i-ate in the deprecation of leaving old forest trees 

 ui the gi'ouud. But it is a curious mistake to sup- 

 pose that shade would be useful in .lava and Ceylon 

 because of superabuiidant rainfall. It is not because 

 of the heavy rains at one season of the year, but 

 because of the trying drought which too frequently 

 follows, that shade is deemed necessary in .Jax'a, anil 

 even there the original forest is not left standing. 

 Special shade trees, such as the dadap (a sjjecies of 

 trythrhm) are employed. The experiments tried in 

 Ceylon have ended in the general conclusion that, 

 where coffee camiot be grown wdthont shade, it h.ad 

 better not be tried. Apart from the effects of the 

 roots of old forest trees in robbing the coffee bushes 



