October i, 1884.] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



269 , 



"Wales, it is very common. The young, undeveloped leaves 

 are eaten by the Queensland natives, who term the plant 

 'Konda.' When fully grown the leaves resemble large 

 tans; they are very tough easily split, and are worked 

 into baskets, hats, and similar articles, 



Flame Tree. — Sterculia (Brachychiton) Acerifolia. (Nat- 

 ural Order, Sterculiaceas.) Pp. 30, 53, 87, 191.— One of the 

 * most magnificent trees in existence, bearing a profusion 

 of scarlet coral-like racemes of liowers, and large bright 

 green leaves. The bark, which, like that of most of the 

 tribe, is composed of concentric layers, yields by maceration 

 a lace-like bast of fine texture, which can be converted 

 into cordage, ropes, mats, etc. The tree is found on many 

 parts of the eastern coast of Australia ; seldom far inland. 

 In the Zllawarra district, fifty or sixty miles south of Syd- 

 ney, it is very plentiful. Commencing at the Macleay 

 River, it is found in the brush lands of most of the northern 

 rivers of New South Wales — the Bellenger, the Olarence, 

 the Richmond, the Brunswick, and the Tweed. On the 

 banks of some of the Queensland rivers it may occasion- 

 ally be found. For several weeks during the summer sea- 

 sou this tree presents a most gorgeous sight. From the 

 splendour and profuseuess of its bloom it derives its com- 

 mon name. At Illawarra the finest specimens occur. When 

 in flower one could imagine portions of the landscape to be 

 on fire. The foliage sheds itself to give room for the 

 profuse inflorescence. The Lasiopetalums (Velvet-flower) 

 belong to this order. One of the tallest growing Laswpet- 

 alum Tepperi — a most beautiful shrub with pink flowers — 

 attains a height of 5 or 6" feet, and is found at Yorke's 

 Pen insula, South Australia. 



Grevillea. — (Natural Order, Proteaceae.) Pp. 42, 53, 

 171.— A very large genus, comprising some interesting and 

 beautiful Australian flowering shrubs and trees. Nearly 

 '200 species have been described, all, with one or two ex- 

 ceptions, indigenous to Australia, aud two-thirds ol that 

 number belong to Victoria. They are chiefly admired and 

 cultivated for their flowers ; some of them are of a dwarf 

 heath-like habit; others are trees of a considerable size. 

 The most noticeable is the 'Silky Oak' {Grevillea robustff.)^ 

 a grand timber-producing species, bearing large masses of 

 comb-shaped orange flowers. It is a native of New South 

 Wales aud Queensland, where on rich alluvial river banks it 

 often attains a height of over 100 feet. 



(turn, or Eucalyptus. — (Natural Order, Myrtaceje.) Pp. 

 16, IS, 20, 26, 32, 40, 81, 85, 86, 87, 88, 195, 199.— Though it 

 is to be regretted that a more appropriate common name 

 than that of * Gum tree' was not iu the first instance be- 

 stowed upon this extensive family, comprising the principal 

 timber and most stately trees of Australia, still the term 

 has uow become so widely spread that only partial suc- 

 cess could he expected to attend any sudden attempt to alter 

 it. Under its popular name, therefore, each species will be 

 mentioned. The substance which exudes from the tree is 

 known all over the world as 'Kino.' The Tasmanian Blue 

 Gum Eucalyptus globulus) is widely known, and is very 

 common in Victoria.* It is a quick-growing tree, attaining 

 in favourable situations a height exceeding 300 feet, and 

 producing very hard and durable wood, in great request.for 

 shipbuilding, fencing, railway sleepers, and many other pur- 

 poses, where toughness and staunchness in the material 

 employed are indispensable. This tree has lately attracted 

 considerable attention from its alleged power of counter- 

 acting malaria, and the weight of testimony goes to 

 prove the truth of the statement. From this fact the 

 .Blue Gum is known in Southern Europe as the Fever tree. 

 The Ked Gum 1 {Eucalyptus rostrata) (the 'Blue Gum' of 

 New South Wales) is common iu Victoria and South 

 Australia, and is principally found in low, moist situations. 

 Its wood bus been held by experts to be superior even to 

 that of the Tasmanian Blue Gum for durability. The 

 Jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata), native of West Australia, 



* The 'South Australian Blue Gum' is Eucalyptus iiun- 

 nalis t and is common in Victoria, where it is known as the 

 'Manna Gum." 



t The 'Ked Gum' of New South Wales, known as such 

 to the earliest settlers, which is by far their best wood for 

 fuel, and the resinous gum of which is used for various 

 purposes, is a species of Angophwa, and is still one of 

 the commonest 'Gum trees' on the north shun-, etc., 

 Sydney. 



Ironbark (Eucalyptus leucoxylon), and Karri (Eucalyptus 

 dn m rsicolor), are also famed for their splendid timbers, which 

 are valuable, for jetty piles, shipbuilding, etc. The Stringy- 

 bark {Eucalyptus macrorrhyncha) and Messmate i Eucalyptus 

 obliqua,) are twoofthetnbe most plentiful in Victoria; 

 and though their timber is not very durable, it is largely 

 employed for fence rails, quartering, battens, shingles, 

 palings, etc. ; whilst the bark is used for roofing by the 

 settlers, and also converted into pulp for the use of the 

 upholsterer and papermaker. A volatile oil is distil'ed 

 from Eucalyptu° leaves, those of the Blue Gum and 

 Giant Gum of the mountains being principally used for 

 this purpose. The latter tree, it is said, has been known 

 to attain the exceedingly great height of 400 feet, having 

 a diameter approaching 23 feet It is found in its most 

 noble proportions iu Gippsland. The Karri of Western 

 Australia rivals the Giant Gum in height. The Alpine 

 Gum ( Eucalyptus alpina) is a small but well-shaped shrubby 

 specimen of the family, and is very hardy. The Yellow 

 Box (Eucalyptus melliodora) is attractive to bees, from the 

 quantity of nectar secreted by its flowers. Under the name 

 Ironbark, f n ur or five species of the Eucalyptus are com- 

 prised, the principal of which are Eucalyptus siderophloia 

 (New South Wales) and E. leucoxyfon, common in several 

 of the Australian colonies. In point of beauty, however, as 

 distinguished from the towering height and stately appear- 

 ance which mark other members of the family, the gorgeous 

 Scarlet Flowering Gum (Eucalyptus jtcifoljoj stands without 

 a rival.* This beautiful tree, a native of Broke's Inlet, 

 Western Australia, is sometimes met with in groups or 

 single specimens on the hill-sides, and frequently in the 

 valleys. Its handsome tufted heads of bright scarlet 

 bloom, in contrast with the dark green of the foliage, 

 renders it a most attractive object in the landscape. There 

 are upwards of 150 species of Eucalyptus confined to 

 Australia and some neighbouring islands, but none are 

 known iu New Zealand. For further particulars concern- 

 ing this genus, see also chapter on ' Australian Vegetation. ' 

 Moreton Bay Pine. — Araucaria Ounninghamii. (Natural 

 Order. Coniferse.) P.23. — A magnificent timber tree, fre- 

 quently met with on the banks of rivers at their conflu- 

 cni c with the sea, but often found a considerable dis- 

 tance inl uid in the colonies of Queensland and New South 

 Wales. Its timber is largely used for flooring-boards, etc. 

 Iu favorable situations it reaches 201) feet in height. It 

 is of quick, though erratic growth ; some times making 

 shoots 8 or 10 feet long during a season, without throw- 

 ing out lateral branches ; at others, branching at a distance 

 of 2 or 3 feet. 



Nettle.— Urtica. (Natural Order, Urticese.) Pp. 29, 42. 

 — A large genus of plants, principally distinguished for 

 the virulence of the sting caused by their glandular hairs. 

 Some of the species yield beautiful and valuable fibre. 

 The New South Wales Tree Nettle (Laportea gigas) grows 

 to a height of 100 feet. The sting from its leaves is so 

 great as to create severe inflammation. Cattle brushing 

 against its branches have been known to run absolutely 

 mad until the pain subsided. The bark of this tree affords 

 a strong fibre, which the natives convert into fishing lines 

 and nets. The Common Nettle ( Urtica dioica) is el peren- 

 nial, cosmopolitan weed, being either indigenous or natural- 

 ized in most civilized countries. 



Sheoak. — Casuariua. (Natural Order, CasuarinaB.) Pp. 

 21, 55, 205. See also chapter 'Australian Vegetation,' 

 p. 85.— The black, gloomy appearance of these singular 

 trees is familiar to dwellers in the Australian bush, where 

 their leafless branches form one of the most striking 

 features of the landscape. A few kinds only are indigen- 

 ous to Victoria, Qasuarina suberosa (erect Sheoak or 

 Victorian Beefwood) being the most common. The shrubby 

 species i'asnuritia distyhi and seven others, including O. 

 qwdrivulvis, are abundantly scattered through Southern 

 Australia. Like many other names given by the earliest 

 settlers, the term oak was given to this genus because 



* There is a scarlet flowering variety "f Eucalyptus 

 calophylla indigenous to West Australia which is verybeauti 

 ml, and resembles in many respects I he Eu\ alyptus jicifolia, 

 but it is nevertheless quite distinct in colour of blossom and 

 form of seed, though the capsules are almost identical. 

 Young specimens of both may he seen in the Melbourne 

 Botanic Gardens. 



