12 



12. From John Swan, Esq. Specimens of copper ore from the Duck 

 River, Tasmania. 



In reference to the monthly returns from the Gardens of "the 

 time of leafing, flowering, and fruiting of a few standard plants, " His 

 Excellency reinarked it would be interesting to notice if change of cli- 

 mate, or soil, or other circumstances modified the habits of certain 

 English trees. From his own observation at the grounds about Govern- 

 ment House he could state that some trees which, in England, came 

 into leaf before others, here acted in an exactly reverse manner. 



Discussion ensued, in which the Rev. W. W. Spicer, Sir Francis 

 Smith, Mr. Justice Dobson, J^Ir. Swan, Mr. AUport, and Mr. Abbott 

 took part ; and on the whole, it appeared probable that varieties in ex- 



f)osure or position might influence different trees variously as to their 

 eafing, etc. Mr. Abbott, however, engaged to obtain further and more 

 precise information on the suliject, and bring it before a future meeting. 



The Rev. W. W. Spicer read a paper on "Aliens," or plants 

 which have been introduced into the colony and naturalised. Hlustra- 

 tive of the paper a collection of plants was laid on the table, embracing 

 all those referred to in the text. These, amounting to 140 specimens, 

 were collected, mounted and named by Mr. Spicer, and very liberally 

 presented by hira to the Museum. 



His Excellency informed the meeting he had written to England 

 for a supply of cuttings of the new fodder plant, the Prickly Comfrey. 

 It was probable this climate would suit it exactly, but that of England . 

 appeared to be too cold, as it did not seed there, and therefore 

 cuttings v/ere sent for. Its cultivation would be tried on the grounds 

 at Government House, and, if successful, seeds or cuttings would be 

 distributedthroughout the colony. It appeared to be well suited to a 

 deep sandy soil as the roots were found to go as far as nine feet in 

 depth. It was of a vigorous nature, and in one district of England 

 had been grown for fourteen years consecutively without any appreci- 

 able loss of strength or vitality. It had been known to produce the 

 astonishing result of one hundred tons to the acre. Its own leaves 

 were good manure for it. It was said to be the very best soft food 

 for horses. It was very good for cattle, and supposed to be a preven- 

 tative to the diseases to which they are liable, and also well adapted for 

 dairy food, as it produced no unpleasant effect on the milk. 



Colonel Crawford saw the plant in cultivation at the Royal Agri- 

 cultural College at Cirencester in England many years ago, but it did not 

 seem at that time to be much thought of. 



His Excellency thought that any discrepancies of this kind might 

 be explained by the fact that there were two species of the Comfrey. 



Colonel Crawford, in connection with the President's remarks as to 

 the probability that this climate would be more suitable to the Comfrey 

 than the English, observed that the difference of the climates was 

 very clearly marked by the growth of the blackberry and the sweetbriar 

 on the Northern side of the island, as it far surpassed anything of the 

 kind he had ever seen in England. The Blackberry grew into huge 

 hedges, so high and dense that boys climbed up to the tops by ladders, 

 and then went along the surface by laying do\vn palings to walk upon. 

 Large quantities were made into jam and sent to Queensland, where 

 it was said to be good for bowel complaints. He thought large quanti- 

 ties of the small twigs of the Sweetbriar could be very profitably sent 

 home to persons engaged in the manufacture of scents. 



His Excellency had also been struck by the enormous hedges of 

 the Sweetbriar in the Ringarooma district. 



Mr. Swan observed it was a curious circumstance as to the Black- 

 berry that he had never seen birds feed upon it. 



