594 FOREST CULTURE AND 
The command of large collections of museum plants, 
commenced by my personal field exertions more than 
thirty years ago, gave here local advantages for af- 
fording also to correspondents in other colonies a full- 
er insight into the characteristics of the vegetation of 
their respective localities. Among those who availed 
themselves of such facilities for occasional consulta- 
tion I count a gentleman of the Survey Department 
of Sydney, R. Fitzgerald, Esq., whose object it was 
to obtain, in doubtful cases, the names of plants for a 
series of drawings, prepared with ingenious skill and 
talent by his own hand. Ever anxious to lead such 
efforts into the best utilitarian channels, I suggested 
the publication of these illustrations in a weekly jour- 
nal. With a readiness which reflects great credit on 
the scientific taste of the proprietors of the Sydney 
Mail, space is to be conceded for one plant at a time, 
as a preliminary issue in that valuable periodical, 
with an ulterior object of re-issuing the plates and de- 
scriptions in a connected form, as suggested in the 
first instance. Here, now, we have before us the first 
illustrations, to be followed, in regular succession, by 
others, an electro - plate to be used in final republica- 
tion. It is superfluous to point out that such efforts 
will likely lead to imitation, and will instill an amount - 
of lasting information, the extent of which we cannot 
calculate or foresee. From larger works, elaborated 
in great scientific institutions, devoted to the accumu- 
lation and study of plants, will always emanate special 
publications, and among them, in due time, local flo- 
ras of each populous locality. The sedulous and in- 
genious zeal of Dr. Will. Woolls, of Paramatta, has | 
thus already provided for the requirements of that 
