DISTKICT. 93 



and does not occur within twelve miles of the town and then only 

 very sparingly. On the Toongabbie Creek also small specimens 

 of the native " Cork Tree" (Duboisia my opor aides ) may be found. 

 On PYE'S creek, the " Native Eosewood" (Synoum ylandulosum) 

 is occasionally met with, and when in flower is very ornamental, 

 but whilst in some parts of the colony it becomes a large tree, 

 with us it is a mere shrub. 



The " Native Cherry" (Exocarpus cupressiformis) seldom attains 

 any size in our district, but the wood can be used for map-rollers, 

 &c. Our proteaceous shrubs and trees are too diminutive to be 

 of much service. With the exception of two species of " Honey- 

 suckle" (Banksia) which can be worked up for knees of boats, 

 the rest do not grow so large as in some other parts of the colony. 

 This is especially the case with our "Wooden Pear" (Xylomelum 

 pyriforme), the "Native Beef Wood" (Stenocarpus satignw), 

 saitLLoniatia longifblia a tree with flowers very similar to a Grevillea. 

 The " Native Oaks," when found sufficiently large, are available 

 for different articles of furniture, and the swamp-oak (Casuarina 

 palmlosd) is very good for handles. With the exception of two 

 or three species of Acacia or " Wattle," there is scarcely any 

 leguminous tree that can be said to make much wood. When 

 the Acacias can be found large enough, they are useful for 

 furniture, and one species is exceedingly desirable where tough- 

 ness and durability are required. All the species are astringent, 

 in a greater or less degree, and a decoction of bark has been 

 found efficacious in curing dysentery when all other remedies have 

 failed. 



Without pursuing the subject any further, it must be evident 

 to every reflecting person that the Parramatta district possesses 

 many valuable wood, and that several of their qualities remain 

 yet to be developed. If we are anxious to prepare specimens for 

 our friends in Europe, there is no occasion to go to any great 

 distance for woods, as thirty or forty different kinds could be 

 collected within a few miles of the town. And, indeed, it is a 

 fact that specimens of wood have been recently forwarded to the 

 Paris Exhibition, which are not in any degree rarer than some of 

 our own district ; and, therefore, it is to be regretted that the 

 people of Parramatta did not endeavour to secure some portion of 

 the honour which will be bestowed on the colony, by forwarding 



