* 
312 OBSERVATIONS ON THE RICE-PAPER TKEE. 
destroy many of the plants of northern climates ; their first and bright- 
green leaves forming an agreeable contrast at that time to the parched 
aud drooping foliage of the trees about them. — 'The flowers of this tree 
no doubt contain honey, as when in blossom the trees are a source of 
attraction to the bees, which may be observed at that time humming 
about the trees in great numbers, hovering over and sucking the blos- 
soms. The pith of this tree, when manufactured by the Chinese into 
sheets of various dimensions, is used extensively for drawings of birds, 
butterflies, and other objects of natural history, for which purpose it is 
well adapted from its peculiar texture ; the only objection is the brittle 
nature of the material requiring most delicate handling and the edges 
of the drawings require to be bound with ribbon to protect them from 
injury, otherwise the material is very durable. It is also used in the 
manufacture of -artificial flowers, and it may be very serviceable in New 
South Wales as a light material for making the solar or pith hats, im- 
ported very largely from Caleutta, and now worn so much during the 
summer months in the colony. This article obtained the name of 
* rice paper " from its having been supposed that it was manufactured 
from rice, although an inspection by the microscope very easily de- 
cided that it was the delicate medullary portion of a Dicotyledonous . 
stem. This Araliacea is very ornamental for gardens and shrub- 
beries, more especially as in this colony it produces its fine pani- 
cles of flowers at a season of the year when blossoming plants and 
trees are comparatively rare, and therefore give a cheerful appearance 
to the gardens and plantations. On the 3rd of July, 1863, one of the 
trees was cut down for me by my friend Mr. C. Moore, for the purpose 
of ascertaining the quantity of pith contained in the stem which would 
be of any economical use. The total height of the tree was 8 feet, 
and the length of stem to the bifurcation of the branches was 4 feet 
23 inches, and the age of the tree about four years. From the base to 
about 21 inches of the bifurcation the hard wood of a white colour was 
formed, and the fine pith capable of use continued to 14 inches, and 
measured when detached from the surrounding woody portion 1} inch 
in diameter ; and when compared with some of the same material from 
China, was considered equal to it both in quality and size. In the 
young bifurcated branches the pith was well formed and measured 1 
inch in diameter. From 23 to 3 years will probably be about the best 
time for cutting down the trees for the purpose of collecting the pith. 
