74 The South Australian Naturalist. 



Grass trees grow very slowly. Grazing animals do not 

 injure them ; and even bush fires, unless very fierce, do not 

 destroy them, but leave them only with a charred stem ; so that 

 these trees are well prepared to fight the battle of life. Doubt- 

 less there are still flourishing^ in South Australia grass trees 

 which were growing when Captain Hindmarsh read his pro- 

 clamation to the first colonists under the gum tree at Glenelg. 



The grass tree is not without its uses. The blackfellow ate 

 the tender ends or bases of the brittle leaf stems. He used a 

 handful of fibre as a sponge to soak up the nectar from the flower 

 spikes, and then he squeezed it into a rude bowl. A sweet drink 

 was made from the contents of the bowl. The gum he used as a 

 cement to cover the binding that tied the sharp-edged stones to 

 make a head of a spear, or, to a thick handle, to make a stone 

 axe. Specimens of these stone axes ma}' be seen in the Ade- 

 laide Museum. They are still used by the blackfellows in the 

 interior. They also used the slender stick that grew as the 

 flow^ering spike to make a light spear, which was hurled with 

 great force from a throwing stick. 



White men also make use of the grass tree. Many tons 

 of yacca gum have been sent away from Kangaroo Island. 

 When fresh its colour is yellow, but it afterwards turns red, 

 and then brown. It burns freely, like sealing wax, and gives 

 off a pleasant odour. W^ater, which dissolves w^attle gum, 

 has little or no effect on yacca gum, but it is easily dissolved 

 by spirit, and makes a cheap furniture polish, w^iich will 

 change w^hite pine into a rich red colour. From the gum is 

 also got picric acid, which is much used in making high explo- 

 sives of modern warfare. It is said that before the Great War 

 much yacca gum was collected on Kangaroo Island and sent 

 aw^ay to enemy countries to make the explosives that were 

 afterwards used against our own men. But the truth of this is 

 uncertain, because it is now known that picric acid can be 

 made more cheaply from coal-tar. 



We are indebted to ''The School Paper'' (Queensland) for thd 

 diagram of the flower. 



We are indebted to " TJic Cliildren's Hour" for the above article, the 

 hloeJis being kindly lent. 



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