Jan. 14, 1 8 75 J 



NATURE 



213 



some indigenous materials of New Zealand suitable for 

 the manufacture of paper. The plants enumerated occur 

 in great abundance in different parts of the colony, and, it 

 is said, are being yearly destroyed to an enormous extent 

 by the progress of settlement. Most of the plants alluded 

 to in this paper belong to the endogenous group, Liliace^ 

 and Cyperacex being the chief natural orders. In the 

 genus Astelia a group of small tufted sedge-like plants 

 belonging to the first-named order, five species of which 

 are described as occurring in New Zealand, four are re- 

 commended, both on account of the quantity of fibre con- 

 tained in their leaves, as well as for the abundance with 

 which the plants grow. A. Solandn, the Tree-flax of the 

 colonists, is a plant with numerous radical leaves, from 

 one to two feet long, thickly clothed at the base with shaggy 

 silky hairs, and containing a quantity of good fibre. It is 

 abundant on lofty trees and rocks throughout the colony, 

 resembling in the distance the nest of some large bird. 

 " Hundreds of tons" of this plant, it is said, "are de- 

 stroyed on every acre of forest-land cleared in the North 

 Island." 



A. Banksii and A. Cunniitoliamii, both of which have a 

 similar habit to the first-named species, but with narrower 

 and much longer leaves, sometimes from three to six feet in 

 length, produce a superior fibre. The first is found in 

 great abundance in wooded places near the sea, and the 

 latter is common on trees and rocks. Both are abundant 

 in the North Island, " but their southern distribution is 

 uncertain." 



A species of Astelia, known as the Kauri Grass, and 

 called by Mr. Kirk^. trincri'ia, is said to be " the most 

 abundant of all the species, occasionally forming the chief 

 part of the undergrowth in the northern forests up to 

 3,000 ft., and so dense that it is often difficult to force 

 one's way amongst the interlaced leaves, which are from 

 three to eight feet long,and of a paler green tinge than either 

 of the preceding. It could be procured by hundreds of tons, 

 and as, like other species, it is found in situations not 

 adapted for ordinary cultivated crops, a permanent supply 

 might be fairly calculated upon. Experience has shown 

 that it may be cut yearly." 



In the allied genus Cordyline, which is composed of 

 shrubby or small palm-like trees, the Ti, or cabbage-tree 

 (C.australis), is the most important. It attains the great- 

 est height of any of the New Zealand species, averaging 

 from ten to twenty or even thirty feet, and producing a 

 trunk usually from ten to eighteen inches in diameter, 

 but sometimes even three feet across. The plant is 

 very abundant in many districts, and the leaves contain 

 a very large quantity of fibre. C. Banksii, a smaller 

 growing species, with a trunk from five to ten feet high, 

 produces a fibre of superior quality, but less abundant ; 

 the plant, however, is very plentiful on the margins of 

 forests, gullies, &c., all over the North Island, and in 

 the northern parts of the South Island. 



That the leaves of the Cordylines are suitable for 

 paper-making there can be no doubt. In appearance, 

 when dry, they very much resemble the so-called palmetto 

 leaves which have recently been brought into this country 

 from America for the purpose of competing with esparto. 

 These palmetto leaves are those of one or more species 

 of Chamserops, perhaps C. serrulata, which is known in 

 some parts of the Southern States as the Saw Palmetto. 

 The leaves of Cordyline ausiralis are not altogether un- 

 known in Europe as a paper material, for it appears that 

 some years since a quantity was sent to England from 

 New Zealand specially for trial, and were made into paper 

 at a mill in Yorkshire : at that time the leaves were highly 

 recommended for the manufacture of a superior kind of 

 paper. A leaf somewhat similar, but generally of softer 

 texture, is that of the genus Freycinetia. F. Danksii,\xiown 

 as the New Zealand Screw Pine, is abundant in most woods, 

 and it is said that the leaves might be procured by thou- 

 sands of tons. Galinia seiifolia, which is abundant in 



both islands and capable of being procured in'^almost un- 

 limited quantity, is recommended for the manufacture of 

 coarse paper. The Gahnias are a group of tall-growing 

 coarse, rigid cyperaceous plants, with long, harsh" cutting 

 leaves, from which fact the plants are known in some 

 parts of the colony as " cutting grasses." The genus is dis- 

 tributed through New Zealand, Australia, Tasmania, the 

 Malayan and Pacific Islands. 



The large order Composite, containing as it does such 

 a variety of plants, from trees down to shrubs and herbs, 

 might be expected to include many whose woolly foliage 

 would prove useful for paper-making. The genus Cel- 

 misia, however, is the only one mentioned in the paper 

 under consideration ; the species are perennial bulbs, 

 with radical, rosulate, simple leaves, mostly covered with 

 a white or buff-coloured tomentum, which gives them a 

 leathery texture, and hence the plants are called Leather- 

 plants, or Cotton-grass. The commonest species in the 

 islands is C. longi folia, which ascends to an elevation of 

 5,500 feet, and varies much in height, length, and breadth 

 of leaves, as well as in general robustness. C. vcrbasci- 

 folia is a fine species, with broad coriaceous leaves averag- 

 ing from four to eight inches long, but, according to Mr. 

 Kirk, growing sometimes to a length of two feet. C. coria- 

 cea is likewise an abundant species, with thick leaves from 

 ten to eighteen inches long, and from half an inch to two- 

 and-a-half inches broad, covered on their upper surface 

 with matted silvery hairs, and on the other with thick 

 silvery tomentum. These leaves are said to make a good 

 paper material ; it is certain that when dry they are very 

 tough, and the natives make them into strong and durable 

 cloaks. 



The plants here enumerated are only a few of those 

 considered likely to prove valuable in the colony for 

 paper material ; they are selected because of their being 

 httle or perhaps not at all known for economic uses. 

 Such well-known plants as the New Zealand Flax {Phor- 

 niin/n toiax) are passed by with a simple mention of the 

 fact that a company has recently been formed in Auck- 

 land, specially for utilising its fibre in the manufacture of 

 paper. 



While on the subject it may not be quite out of place to 

 mention, in reference to the notice on the use of Zizania 

 aquatica, in Nature, vol. xi. p. 33, that several of the 

 North American daily papers, as the Nciu York Tribnne, 

 ^[ontrcal Gazette, &c., are printed on paper made 

 entirely from this plant, and that the promoters of its 

 use in England propose to bring it to this country in the 

 form of half-stuff, to save expense of freight. 



John R. Jackson 



A FRENCH OFFICIAL ACCOUNT OF THE 

 ORIGIN OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY 



'\^7'E find in the first volume of the "Memoirs of the 



• "^ French Academy " a few curious details relating 

 to this subject which may be of some interest to our 

 readers. We translate the text verbatim, with the addi- 

 tion of a few explanatory remarks. These details were 

 originally published in Latin, by the first perpetual secre- 

 tary of the Academy, and may therefore be considered 

 as official. 



" Full fifty years had elapsed (in i666) since the learned 

 men who lived in Paris began to meet at the abode of 

 Father Mersenne, who was the friend of the most learned 

 men in Europe, and was pleased to be the centre of their 

 mutual visits.* MM. Gassendi, Descartes, Hobbes, 

 Roberval, Pascal (father and son), Blondel, and some 

 others met at this place (close to the Place Royale, in a 

 convent). The assemblies were more regularly held at 

 M. de Montmort's, Master of Request in ParUament (and 



* Father Mersenne was the intimate friend of Descartes, and his philoso- 

 phical propagandist. It was not deemed prudent by the writer 

 Descartes' name, except as coupled with others. 



