214 

 3. Natural Products. 



a. MINERALS. 



How rich or poor in minerals this region may be the near 

 future will show. For several years past they have been eagerly 

 searched for, especially in the MacDonnell Ranges, and thousands 

 of pounds have been spent in this pursuit. The Krichauft' Range 

 does not appear to contain anything but red sandstone and iron- 

 ore. In the eastern part of the MacDonnell Ranges there are 

 already a large number of gold-diggers, and some fine nuggets are 

 said to have been picked up. A few years ago there was much 

 excitement about the discovery of rubies, but they proved to be 

 garnets. At present the mica of this region engages the atten- 

 tion of prospectors on account of the large size of the plates 

 procurable. 



h. PLANTS. 



In consequence of the scanty rainfall and the ever-recurring 

 continued droughts the vegetation is meagre, but after copious 

 rains the display of flowers of the herbs and shrubs is magnificent. 

 It is only a pity that it occurs so seldom. There is a large variety 

 of plants, but few of great size or luxurious aspect, and only a 

 few trees. The most common of these latter is Red-gum 

 ( Eucalyjjtus rostrata), growing in the river-beds, where it attains 

 all sizes up to a hundred feet high, and six feet in diameter, but 

 giving little shade on account of the sparse foliage. Many of 

 them are crooked or hollow, but some are straight and sound. 

 Their timber is more or less durable, according to age and posi- 

 tion. A less common tree is the Beefwood {Grevillea striata), 

 which occurs either singly or in small groups. It may attain a 

 size of fifty or sixty feet in height and two feet in diameter. The 

 bark is rough, with immense cracks, mostly black ; the leaves are 

 a quarter of an inch broad by a foot long ; the wood resembles 

 beef in aspect, hence its name — heefwood. The majority are sound 

 and healthy. The Desert Oak {Casuarina Decaisneana) has mostly 

 a slender, straight stem about twenty feet high and one and a 

 half feet in diameter ; the bark is rough and cracked ; the 

 branches, with their cord-like twigs some ten inches long, form 

 generally a pretty round top, but do not afford much shade. The 

 main or tap-root appears to descend as deep into the ground as 

 the tree ascends above it — at least, this is the case with the 

 small trees. It grows either singly or in groups, and forms oc- 

 casionally forests on the sandhills in a few localities. The wood 

 is white outside and brown within ; it splits easily, and while 

 fresh is easily worked, but when dry becomes very hard. In 

 water it lasts better than Eucalyptus rostrata. With it all the 

 wells have been timbered, and it was found very suitable for 



