on the Brazils and New Holland. 251 



In changing the scene of my observations, from the tropical 

 parts of the Brazils, to the colony of New South Wales, a new, 

 and somewhat different, picture presents itself. Taking it with 

 relation to rural economy, there can be no doubt, that the 

 colony of New South Wales, extending as it does from 40° to 

 the 28° of latitude, is capable of producing as many varied and 

 useful plants as any other country in the world. Whether the 

 sugar-cane will grow in the last-mentioned latitude is not cer- 

 tain ; but coffee, St. John's bread (Ceratonia Siliqua), and the 

 date palm will grow most undoubted ty ; and, if we add to these 

 the grape, the peach, and the fig, which are already cultivated 

 there extensively, our previous assertion will be thoroughly 

 corroborated. 



Most of the culinary vegetables and fruits of Europe prosper 

 in the different latitudes of the colonial territory of New South 

 Wales ; but it is upon subjects of somewhat greater importance 

 that I wish to fix the attention of my readers on the present occa- 

 sion. It is the growing of the vine, the olive, tobacco, and silk, 

 which, if accomplished on a large scale,would increase the sphere of 

 productiveness of the British empire. The vine has been intro- 

 duced in New South Wales for many years ; but it was Messrs. 

 Allan Cunningham and Busby who endeavoured to push this sort 

 of industry in a rapid and energetic manner. The former gentle- 

 man collected a great many cuttings in the British gardens, and 

 Mr. Busby obtained at Paris an extensive collection from the 

 Royal Gardens of the Luxembourg. I was present when this 

 valuable collection was unpacked in Sydney, and saw that it 

 arrived in a very good state. But when anything energetic or 

 extraordinary is to be accomplished, it is often necessary that 

 the original projector or inventor should carry his conception 

 into execution himself. This was not the case with the above 

 gentlemen, neither of whom were present, when the collection 

 arrived. Notwithstanding some faults, which occurred after- 

 wards, a great many cuttings were distributed, and the stock of 

 vines considerably improved. Tobacco is grown extensively, 

 and especially in the rich alluvial soil on the banks of the Hun- 

 ter River, where it yields an abundant crop. It is remarkable, 

 that a species of this questionably useful plant, with very tender 

 leaves, grows wild in the colony. In the like manner, flax is 

 found wild in the East Indies ; an interesting fact in the history 

 of vegetation. Mulberries are abundant about Sydney, both 

 the common and the Cape species ; so much so, indeed, that 

 the former is used for hedges round gardens. And, finally, the 

 olive is a plant which, agreeing with the mean temperature of the 

 country, should do very well, but its cultivation has never been 

 tried to any extent. All the above plants, however, requiring a kind 

 of labour to which the English are strangers, can never prosper to 

 any extent, without the colonists being instructed by those people 



