OBSERVATIONS ON THE RICE-PAPER TREE. 313 
The bark of the Rice-paper tree is rough, and the wood hard, heavy, 
and apparently durable; between the bark and the wood there is 
secreted a mucilaginous substance, having a strong smell resembling 
Hemlock. It has been remarked that after the suckers are removed 
from the parent tree and planted, they do not easily bear transplanting. 
By the end of June or early part of July the flowers had perished and 
many abortive fruits were formed; seeds could only be distinguished 
by a powerful lens. The flowering stem was covered with a white 
downy substance, which afterwards, when the flowers perished, became 
of a similar brown colour to the down seen on the footstalks of the 
leaves and the young foliage just developing itself from the bud. The 
suckers appear during all seasons of the year, but more profusely after 
flowering. From the Chinese accounts, the plants attain their full 
growth in the tenth month, when they are cut down, the leaves re- 
moved, and the stems are left to soak for some days in running water 
to loosen the bark and wood and facilitate the removal of the pith. 
On examining in Sydney a plant of the growth of one year, which was. 
cut down for the purpose, no pith was found of sufficient size or firm- 
ness to be of any economic value ; this plant was 41 feet in height and 
a circumference of foliage of about 22 feet. The following is the de- 
scription and measurement of four of the largest trees in the Botanical 
Garden, taken in April, 1862. The first tree had the main stem 6 feet 
high, which then divided into two branches, from each of which at the 
flowering-season six spikes of flowers were produced ; the total height 
of the tree was 10 feet, with a circumference of foliage of 24 feet. 
Any person could stand erect under the foliage of this tree, sheltered 
from the sun by the overhanging leaves. This tree was four years old, 
and flowered every year. The circumference of the centre of the trunk 
was 8 inches. The trunk of the second tree was 6 feet high and a 
circumference of 83 inches, it then divided into two branches; the 
total height of the tree was 8 fect, with a circumference of foliage of 
20 feet. In the third tree the trunk was 44 feet high, which then 
divided into two branches; the circumference of the trunk was 
10 inches; and the total height 8} feet, with a circumference of 
foliage of 22 feet. The fourth tree was of very irregular growth, 
the main stem clear of foliage was 4 feet 9 inches high, with a 
circumference of 9 inches, and then divided into two branches, 
each of which bore during the flowering season from 5 to 6 spikes 
