208 ON THE FIBRE PLANTS OF N. S. WALES, 



of six feet and upwards ; a strip of the leaf | of an inch in width, 

 drawn over a fire so as to soften the fibre, or even without this 

 preparation, is strong enough to resist the efforts of a man to 

 break it. I fancy therefore, that if the properties of this invaluable 

 plant, at least to the bush traveller, were properly tested, it would 

 be found to yield a fibrous material of considerable commercial 

 advantage. The last but most important fibre bearing plant 

 is the Gimmeah of the natives ; the Gigantic Lily of the 

 settlers, and the Doryantlies excelsa of botanists. It is closely 

 allied to the American Agave, commonly called Aloe, but it 

 is not a true lily. In the year 1850, at the first meeting of the 

 Australian Society, the late Sir Thomas Mitchell read a most able 

 and interesting paper on the resources of the County of Cumber- 

 land. I am not aware whether that paper was published or not, 

 nor can I learn whether it or any copy of it is in existence, but I 

 have a perfect recollection that in that paper Sir Thomas laid parti- 

 cular stress on the value of the Doryanthes fibre, which he thought 

 was equal if not superior to the New Zealand Flax Phormium 

 ienax, with which it was compared, and by way of proof he 

 had a specimen of the flax prepared, which was submitted 

 to the inspection of those who were present when the paper 

 was read, and was pronounced to be equal in length, colour, 

 fineness, and strength to any other kind known. I was then 

 comparatively a young Colonist, and my knowledge of the 

 country but limited of the principal localities where this plant 

 is found, I knew little or nothing. Being therefore under the 

 impression that it was not to be found in any great quantities, 

 that it was in fact, sparingly distributed over the Country, I 

 ventured in discussing the merits of the paper at the Meeting, to 

 give expression to my belief, and to add that as it was known to 

 grow slowly after being cut down, no regular supply of its leaves 

 would be obtainable. This opinion, a most erroneous one, has 

 been quoted since by more than one person as being correct, but 

 I now know from personal acquaintance with the habits of this 

 plant, that it grows in such abundance in various places, as to 

 furnish an unlimited supply of material for any purpose for which 

 it may be required. It is found in the greatest profusion on both 

 banks of the Woronora River, all over Mr. Holt's ground at 



