13G -REV. W. WOOLLS, PH.D., P.L.S., ON THE 



valuable paper which. Surgeon -General Gordon has been good 

 enough to read to us on this very interesting subject. I propose, 

 therefore, in my one or two remarks that I will venture to make 

 to confine myself to allusions to the great importance of the 

 cultivation of botany for the sake of the material advantages 

 which it gives to the inhabitants of course, no doubt, not only of 

 particular parts of the earth in which botany is studied, but to all 

 mankind. The fact of the knowledge which is derived from the 

 scientific pursuit of the study of botany in discovering the value of 

 various moods is alluded to here in reference to the various kinds 

 of Australian timber, which are much better known in Europe now 

 than before the publication of the Flora, for they can be identified 

 by their scientific names. That is a most important thing, and we 

 know what great developments are taking place at the pi-esent 

 day from the greater knowledge of the qualities of the different 

 timbers that abound in Australia. Then, again, there is an interest- 

 ing remark which the author of this paper makes with regard to 

 all plants which have their place in the economy of nature, and 

 serve the purposes for which they were designed by the beneficent 

 Creator. Again, I observe that Surgeon- General Gordon rather 

 invited some remarks with regard to the importance of irrigation. 

 Now it is well known to all those who are acquainted Avith 

 Australia, that great development has taken place with 

 regard to artesian wells in the Colony of Queensland, from which 

 the most important i-esults have already been obtained. I have 

 not before me the figures, but I am perfectly well aware, as every 

 one connected with Australia must be awai'e, of the enormous 

 benefits that have been derived during the last few years from the 

 sinking of artesian wells in the country. A parallel instance is to 

 be found in another part of our gi*eat Colonial Empire with which 

 I am more personally acquainted, and that is South Africa. When 

 I was in Bechuanaland five years ago I had some personal com- 

 munication with Sir Sydney Chever, the Admiralty' Administrator 

 of that day. Part of that country is called "a waterless desert," 

 but it is known, and always has been, that there are underground 

 waters to a great extent there, and that they only require to be 

 properly tapped in order to make that part which is called "a 

 waterless desert " into a fruitful field, to the immense advantage of 

 the future generations of population with which I have no doubt 

 that land will one day teem. (Applause.) 



