INSULAR A USTRALASIA. 



1265 



prolific. The coral reefs afford a considerable quantity of btchc-ctc-mcr, but the gathering 

 of it has been stopped by the Government in the interests of the natives. There is a 

 large quantity of good timber, some of it probably of considerable value, but it is not 

 likely to come into the market to any great extent, forest conservation being especially 

 needed in a country such as Fiji. One of the most remarkable of the native trees in 



THE BACKA TREE, FIJI ISLANDS. 



the group is the splendid forest specimen known to the Fijians as the backa tree, 

 which grows to an enormous height, and attains an extraordinary girth measurement. 

 Spice cultivation will probably be attempted if Sir John Thurston can prevail upon 

 qualified persons to take it up, but the losses which the cotton and sugar planters have 

 already sustained make our capitalists extremely shy of new investments. The losses 



