president's address. 1225 



fertilization. The Messrs. Cole of Melbourne, give us from time 

 to time delicious new fruits. One of the last they gave us, viz., 

 the pear " Madam Cole," was produced by crossing the two 

 delicious pears " Beurre Clairgeau " and " Winter Nelis," and 

 this new pear is said to combine in a marked degree, blended 

 together, the excellencies of its two parents. 



In the case of the potatoe, we know that many new varieties 

 are produced by artificial hybridization ; for it is quite an ordinary 

 thing for nurserymen (Americans especially) to give with a new 

 variety its parentage. 



Artificial hybridization is also largely used in the production of 

 new \-arieties of our cultivated flowers. In the case of the rose, it 

 is by no means uncommon to give with a new variety, its pedigree. 

 In fact, some of the English Rose Catalogues contain a separate 

 list of new pedigree roses. 



The late Mr. Ellwanger of Rochester, New York, gives in his 

 book on ■' The Rose " a list of 26 roses, which are claimed to be 

 the result of artificial crossing ; and amongst them are the names 

 of some of our most beautiful varieties. 



In my last Anniversary Address I made reference to the economic 

 mineral resources of New South Wales. I also briefly alluded to 

 the fact that the chief characteristic physical features of Australia 

 are represented within the limits of our own colony ; and that 

 upon our favoured geographical position, and the varied nature of 

 the land features, we must naturally look for a corresponding 

 variety in the climate and in the Fauna and Flora. Now in 

 investigating these we are inevitably led to a consideration of 

 their ongin, and as this at once involves geological research, I beg 

 that you will allow me to make a few remarks on one of the most 

 interesting and important periods of geological history as afiecting 

 this question. In doing so I will ask you to accompany me not 

 very far back into the history of the earth, but as it were only one 

 step from the present into the past — geologically speaking, from 

 the Recent to the Pleistocene period — a period when some of the 

 living forms of animals and plants co-existed with many that are 

 now extinct. No marked line of division can be drawn between 



