BY CHARLES MOORE, ESQ. 209 



South Botany, extending southwards from this to the hills above 

 Illawarra. But it is in that vast and wretchedly poor country 

 lying between the Hawkesbury River and the Wollorabi Ranges, 

 that this plant flourishes in its greatest splendour. In this inhos- 

 pitable region, it is not only abundant, but it is the only plant to 

 be met with that is either particularly attractive, or useful to the 

 traveller. I know of no finer sight than to pass through this 

 country during the flowering season of Doryanlhes. The very 

 parched-like vegetation with which it is surrounded, and the poor 

 arid soil from which it grows seem by contrast to add additional 

 freshness and lustre to its rich red wax-like flowers. Port 

 Stephens is also another locality in which this plant grows in 

 equal abundance, and as all the places mentioned, are within an 

 easy distance of water carriage, a constant supply of the leaves 

 might readily be procured at small expense. 



I have thus enumerated the plants which, I am aware, furnish 

 a really excellent fibrous material ; in doing so, I claim no credit 

 for having supplied any information which was not known to 

 many persons before ; the only object I had in view was to draw 

 attention to these plants in a condensed and collected form, in the 

 hope that those who may be interested in the manufacture of fibre, 

 or may desire to bring such material into use, may know, not only 

 the plants which will supply it, but where such plants are to be 

 found. There are other indigenous plants which the natives 

 employ in making their nets, bags, &c., among which are several 

 grasses and reeds, but with them I am not sufficiently acquainted 

 to speak with confidence. Possibly, what has been stated may 

 elicit from others information regarding these. I shall conclude 

 by remarking that in addition to the indigenous plants referred 

 to, there are several introduced kinds which yield a valuable fibre, 

 such as the Sida retusa, originally sent from the Mauritius and 

 the West Indies, but now an acclimatised plant in this and the 

 adjoining Colony of Queensland ; it has, in fact, become everywhere 

 a troublesome weed. The American Aloe, and all the kinds of 

 Plantain and Banana, are most valuable for their fibre, and to all 

 such plants I would venture to direct the attention of Colonists in 

 general, and particularly the Managers of the new Paper Company 

 now commencing its operations in the neighbourhood of Sydney. 



