78 Foreign Notices : — Australia. 



cntly of its gi-cat use in medicine. It may also be used as good and dural)Ie 

 ink. As to the gum arabic, it is that which flows so abundantly from all 

 the species of acacia or wattle trees in the island. It is about one half the 

 value of the other, but is used by manufacturers in vast quantities, as well 

 as in medicine. Dr. Murdoch of Uisdon has this year manufactured, from 

 the produce of his garden there, a considerable quantity of excellent oil of 

 lavender ; a f)rofuable article of produce, which we are glad to hear that 

 gentleman intends to cultivate largely for export to London, where it is of 

 considerable value. (Ilobart Town Couru-r, June 4. 1831.) 



The Fruit of Feuii/ca, cordifolia [a plant which we could wish were 

 introduced to Britain], Mr. E. Drapiez has ascertained, by numerous ex- 

 periments, is a [)owerful antidote against vegetable poisons. He |)oisoned 

 dogs with the 7^hus Toxicodendron (swamp sumach), hemlock, and nux 

 vomica. All those that were left to the poisons died, but those to w Inch 

 the FeulUea was administered recovered completely, after a short illness. 

 {Ibid., May 28. 1831.) 



Roads, we observe, are advertised as open to the public in different 

 directions. We hope that in laying out the lines of these roads, the most 

 scientific views of the subject of road-making have been acted upon. We 

 would direct the attention of those concerned, and more particularly that 

 of the editor of the Ilobart Town Courier, to what we have said on the 

 subject in our preceding volume (Vol. VII. p. 520.), as also to what will be 

 found in this and our succeeding Number. (See, further, a letter on the 

 subject in the Morning Chronicle of December 31. 1831.) 



With rcxpcct to Emigration, the editor observes that from the experience 

 of a long residence in a populous part of England, previous to his settling 

 in Australia, he can state tliat pau|)ers, who have become so in the mother 

 country from indolence and an indisposition to work, will continue so in 

 the colony ; but that industrious men will speedily, by the fruits of their 

 labour, remunerate the expense that may nave attended their passage. 

 (//>>»>/., June 18, 1831.) ; 



The Swan liivcr Settlement, from all the accounts we have seen, appears 

 to be a failure. " Settlers are in general leaving their first locations, and 

 removing farther into the country ; in short, there is no soil until you get 

 near Darling's Kange, when some good ground will be found on each 

 bank of the ('anning, on which Lieut. Bull grew good wheat, as well as 

 Mr. Wright and Mr. Adams. The crops were very light, Lieut. Bull grow- 

 ing about h bushels, Mr. Wright 10 bushels, and jNIr. Adams 7 bushels to 

 the acre. The land was certainly very sour, having never been exposed to 

 the sun ; and the next season they expect a fair average crop. The expense 

 of clearing, &c., w as about 30/. the acre. . . . There have, however, been 

 some good vegetables grown even in the sand, w ith the assistance of ma- 

 nure, cspeci.illy cabbages, turni|)s, potatoes, and radishes. There is a radish 

 growing at Perth, in a shoemaker's garden (reserved for seed), as thick as a 

 atout man's thigh, and from 10 ft .to 11 ft. high : in fact, the radish appears 

 to take a diflcrent character in the deep and nioist sands of Perth. {Ibid., 

 Feb. 5. 1831.) 



Si/dnci/, — In looking over the Si/dnei/ Gazettes, from May 5. to June 28. 

 1831, inclusive, we do not find much that can interest the gardening world 

 in this country. The improvement of the government demesne or |)ublic 

 park and promenade of Sydney, seems to have attracted the attention of 

 government. Mention is made of the skill of the jjcrson who has planned 

 the walks, carriage drives, and avenues, which are said to form a delightfid 

 place of recreation for the citizens of Sydney. We wish our correspondent, 

 Mr. Thompson, would send us such a sketch and description of this park 

 as he furnished us with of Hyde Park, and his projected improvements in 

 it, for our First Volume. 



A writer on the cultivation of the vine in Sydney states that blight, 

 alter the fruit is set, may be prevented by ringing the old wood which su«- 



