INTRODUCTION OF ECONOMIC PLANTS INTO 

 QUEENSLAND. 



By J. F. BAILEY. 



Presidential Address read before the Royal Society of 

 Queensland, February 26, 1910. 



From my position as Director of the Brisbane 

 Botanic Gardens, it may be expected that my presidential 

 address would deal with seme subject appertaining to plant 

 life, and it has occurred to me that it would be well to 

 freshen the memory by a few notes as to whom we are 

 indebted for the introduction and distribution of many of 

 the economic plants now being largely cultivated in this 

 State, as well as others of which trials have been made. 

 The majority of these benefactors have passed away, but 

 their good work for the State is largely in evidence around 

 us at the present day. To many the names of the 

 introducers of the plants, or the first cultivators of them, 

 are unknown, therefore it is hoped that these notes will 

 furnish a useful record for future reference. 



Queensland stands pre-eminent among the States of 

 the Commonwealth of Australia with regard to the 

 number and variety of economic plants found in cul- 

 tivation within her boundaries, the great diversity of 

 climate experienced enabling plants from all parts of the 

 world to find a home in one or another part of her large 

 territory. 



Unfortunately, a number of those responsible for the 

 introduction of plants in the early days kept little or no 

 record of their work, a circumstance which has rendered 

 it difficult in compiling information. 



So far as I am able to gather, the Brisbane Botanic 

 Gardens, an institution formed in 1854, is responsi, , 



