TEA-TREE. 95 



The Melaleuca, or tea-tree, was very abundant 

 in some parts of the forests, attaining the eleva- 

 tion of thirty-five to forty feet, and a diameter of 

 nearly two feet : the bark is nearly as smooth as 

 velvet, and, like most of the Australian trees, is 

 deciduous : the wood is stated to be very durable, 

 and, the leaves being formerly used as a substi- 

 tute for tea, it still retains the name of " Tea- 

 tree" among the colonists. There is sometimes 

 much difficulty experienced, when travelling 

 through the wild Australian country, in finding 

 the habitation to which the traveller may be pro- 

 ceeding ; for, until he may be close upon it, or a 

 patch of cultivation peeping through a small 

 opening in the dense forest directs him to the 

 farm, as the cultivated land is usuallj^ near the 

 house, or, at all events, no great distance from 

 it, he may wander very far from his destined 

 resting place even after having been close to it 

 without its being visible. The remainder of the 

 estate is used as " runs" for sheep or cattle ; 

 but in this country (Cumberland) there are but 

 few sheep-runs, as the proprietors of the estates 

 have, for the most part, " runs" from seventy to 

 two hundred miles inland, where the sheep have 

 better pasturage, and there is more facility for 

 washing the fleeces, during the shearing season. 

 About Clydesdale farm, as well as other estates 



