604 Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [10 Oct., 1918. 



Tough Rice-flower is widely distributed throughout the State, and fur- 

 nishes an excellent fibre oi great strength. It is often used for boot 

 laces, and for tying up parcels or bunches of flowers. 



Flar/ianthus pulchellus, A. Gray, *"' Hemp Bush"; order, Malvaceae; 

 distribution, Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, and Tas- 

 mania. The Hemp Bush is usually found near the banks of creeks, 

 &c., and produces a fibre soft, glossy, and long, suitable for warp yarn, 

 either by itself or as a mixture. 



Rulingia poniiosd, R. Br., " Kerrawan " ; order, Sterculiacese ; dis- 

 tribution, Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland. The Kerrawan 

 is found in the north-eastern parts of Victoria, and yields a very useful 

 fibre. 



Commersonia Fraseri, J. Gav, " Blackfellows Hemp"; order, 

 Sterculiacese ; distribution, Victoria, New South Wales, and Queens- 

 land. The Blackfellows Hemp is found on the Genoa River and valleys 

 under Genoa Peak. It yields a fine fibre suitable for matting auu 

 cordage, and for the manufacture of a good quality paper. 



Fibre from Foliage. 



Casuarina stricfa, "Drooping Sheoke " ; order, Casuarineae ; distri- 

 bution, Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, and 

 Western Australia. The Drooping Sheoke is a common tree of the 

 coast of Victoria. It has a stringy foliage which can be converted into 

 an excellent pulp for packing paper, and even printing paper and mill- 

 boards. 



Casuarina suberoifa, Otto & Dietr., " Black Buloke "; order, Casua- 

 rineae; distribution, Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, Tas- 

 mania, and Queensland. The Black Buloke, widely distributed in Vic- 

 toria, is an erect tree producing foliage containing the same properties 

 as the last mentioned species. 



Bedforclia salicina, D.C., "Blanket Wood"; order, Compositae; 

 distribution, Victoria, New South Wales, and Tasmania. The Blanket 

 Wood is found chiefly in moist situations in the south and eastern parts 

 of the State. It yields a white flock resembling scoured wool from the 

 under part of the leaves, and paper could be made from it. 



Lavatera pltbeja, Sims, "Austral Hollyhock"; order, Malvaceae; 

 distribution, Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, 

 Queensland, and Western Australia. The Austral Hollyhock is a 

 perennial shrub, and is found in considerable quantity along the 

 Murray and many of its tributaries, being besides scattered over several 

 different parts of the State. It grows luxuriantly in tx'acts of 

 country which appear almost useless for other purposes, and has been 

 successfully tried for oakum rope and paper making. If required for 

 the latter purpose, the shrubs should be pulled up by the roots, and 

 hung up in bundles to dry. When sufiiciently dry, they should be 

 chopped up small, and treated with a diluted solution of caustic alkali 

 to remove the gummy matter which they contain. After bleaching the 

 material should be treated in the same way as rags which are intended 

 for paper making. 



Linum marginale, Cunn., "Wild Flax"; order, Linace^ ; distribu- 

 tion, Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania, South Australia, and 

 Western Australia. The Wild Flax is abundant throughout this State, 



