WARATAHS. 



INTRODUCTION. 



'^IT'O the majority of Australians, the word "Waratah" has, perhaps, a rather 

 \U/ limited geographical significance, for most people regard its application 

 as referring to a plant only found somewhere near Port Jackson, and 

 producing wonderfully gorgeous flowers. 



By the help of a work on this particular plant— ("The Glory of the AustraUan 

 Bush"), it is hoped to make more generally known, that such restriction of 

 geographical area is not correct, for both Victoria and Tasmania can claim a 

 Waratah, as well as New South Wales; and so it is seen that these marvellous 

 flowers extend over a fairly large area of this Continent. The fact remains, how- 

 ever, that Walesians have prized and utilised their Waratah for decorative ])ur- 

 poses far more extensively than either the Victorians orTasmanians ; the reason 

 for such neglect in the latter instance is not easily explained, for the southern 

 Waratahs possess features and colourings quite equal, and in some respects 

 superior, to those of the New South Wales plant. This indifference on the part 

 of our Southern neighbours is rather to be regretted, for the Victorian and 

 Tasmanian Waratahs lend themselves to almost similar treatment in Apj)lied 

 Art as the New South Wales plant of that ilk. Each has its own characteristics — 

 a decided advantage, for this group of trees and shrubs gives the technologist 

 a large field upon which to draw for artistic treatment. The Victorian Waratah, 

 however, is the arboreal king of them all, for it attains tree size, the timber 

 being very ornamental is not unlike that of the American Sycamore, and 

 will be more fully mentioned in its botanical sequence. 



Australia felix, the early geographers were pleased to call our continent; 

 and well might the author of that sentence feel proud were he alive to-day, for 

 happy indeed is Australia in possessing so many natural advantages over othei 

 Continents. But not the least of her happy moments should be when she contem- 

 plates how Nature has blessed this land with a peculiar wealth of foim and colour 

 in it? floral kingdom. 



The early days of most nations are hidden in the mist of pre-historic times, 

 and so th3 rise or beginning of their artistic conceptions is lost in obscurity, but 

 no such fate lies with settlers of this Island Continent. 



A little over a hundred years marks ths age of the Australian nation, yet 

 should an observant strangei land on out shores he would find that a characteris- 

 tic decorative art has already passed the embryonic stage, and that the influence 

 of Nature's lavishness in floral forms is becoming discernible in tlie develop- 

 ment of Apphed Art. This is only as it should be, and it speaks well for the 

 powers of observation of the Australian in his natural environment. 



