'V*""-! Exciiyxio)i lo Naliojiul Park. 17c 



After deciding to join the excursion to the National Park, 

 Mr. Pitcher thought it would be a good opportunity to take 

 a few native trees, not already recorded as being found there, 

 and have them planted by the members of the party. With 

 the sanction of the Curator of the Botanic Gardens, eighteen 

 plants from the Gardens nursery stock were selected for the 

 purpose. These consisted of six Sunshine Wattle, Acacia 

 discolor, six (iolden Wattle, A. pycnantha, and six Mahogany 

 Eiicalypt, Eucalyptus boiryoidcs. The plants were carefully 

 })acked, and, notwithstanding the rough handling of the 

 l)ackage during transit, they were found to be in good order 

 when taken out. The i)lanting of thirteen of these plants was 

 carried out on the evening of Saturday, the 28th December, 

 as referred to by the leader, Mr. Kershaw, in his report. Three 

 more of the trees were planted near the rest-house prior to our 

 embarking on the return journey, and the remaining two 

 were planted on Doughboy Island on the way back. It 

 should be specially noted that the risk attendant on planting 

 trees in the height of summer was quite foreseen, ])ut it was 

 taken only in the hope of some showers of rain occurring 

 during January to sustain the plants over the hot period. 

 Although the precaution was taken to give the plants a good 

 watering before we left, it is quite possible that the continuous 

 dry weather which has since prevailed may have proved 

 disastrous to most, if not all, of the plants.* One out of many 

 of the numerous interesting and desirable plants which should 

 be introduced is the only palm-tree found indigenous to 

 \''ictoria — viz., Corypha aiislralis. From its l)eing found in East 

 r,ippsland, and from the luxuriant manner in which it thrives 

 in cultivation in the Botanic Gardens, there should be no 

 difificulty in establishing this shapely and beautifully-foliaged 

 jmlm in many of the gullies and valleys of the Promontory. 



In addition, the seeds of a number of Victorian plants not 

 recorded from the Park were obtained, mainly from the 

 Botanical Gardens and from Messrs. Brunning, and were 

 j)lanted at various ])oints. In most cases each packet of seed 

 represented at least ten different plantings in suitable selected 

 localities. These localities were sheltered spots in the gullies 

 of the Vereker Range, on the peaks such plants as Eucalyptus 

 alpina, along the tracks to Barry's Creek such plants as 

 Callitris, Hardenbergia, Kennedya, Melaleuca, along Barry's 

 Creek and neighbouring watercourses Pittos))orum, Tristania, 

 Lomatia, &c. The eucalypts were, for the most part, planted 

 on the north and west sides of the Vereker, along the foot of 



* During a visit to this locality on the 25th I'eliniaiy I found tliat, wiili tlie 

 exception of two plants, all appeared to be thriving. — J. A. K. 



