182 Catalogue of WoThs on Gardening, &^c. 



any one else who possesses the whole collection, we beg to state that we shall 

 feel greatly obliged by a plant or a cutting of each, for which we shall be glad 

 to reciprocate. 



Populus balsamifera L., P. tristis Fisch., P. longifolia Fisch., P. candicans 

 Hort. Keiu., P. pseudo-balsamifera Fisch., P. /aurifSlia Ledebour, P. suaveo- 

 lens Fisch. 



REVIEWS. 



Art. I. Catalogue of Works on Gardening, Agriculture, Botany, 

 Rural Architecture, SfC, lately published, with some Accomit of 

 those considered the tnore interesting. 



A IVarrative of a Visit to the AustraUan Colonies. By James Backhouse. Illus- 

 trated by three maps, fifteen etchings, and several wood-cuts. 8vo, 

 pp.704. London and York, 1843. 



Some of our readers may recollect an article on the indigenous esculents of 

 Van Diemen's Land, in our Volume for 1835 p. 338., by the author of the 

 Naii-ative now before us. Mr. Backhouse was at that time in Australia, 

 on a visit which occupied nearly six years, terminating with 1838. " It was 

 undertaken, solely, for the purpose of discharging a religious duty. During 

 its course, the writer kept a Journal, in which, having been trained to habits 

 of observation, records were made, not only on religious subjects, but also on 

 such as regarded the productions of the countries visited, the state of the 

 aborigines, and the emigrant and prisoner population, &c." 



The work consists of 47 chapters, and 18 papers as an appendix, and it is 

 illustrated by many very clever etchings, independently of large maps, and 

 several wood-cuts. Every chapter is a personal relation of what took place 

 with the author and his fellow-traveller, and recounts not only what relates 

 to his " religious duty," but what he observed as a naturalist, and more 

 especially as a botanist. The two pursuits appear to have gone hand in hand, 

 in the most natural manner ; and it is impossible not to be deeply affected by 

 the sincere piety of the author on the one hand, and on the other instructed 

 by his observations on the animals, plants, and geological features, that fell in 

 his way. Add to ^this the many incidents which befell him in a country un- 

 der the peculiar circumstances of almost the only inhabitants being either 

 aboriginal savages or convicts. In a word, Mr. Backhouse's Narrative is a 

 singularly entertaining book, as much so as The Bible in Spain; but, though 

 equally religious, yet quite m a different way. 



In the appendix is an enlarged version of the paper already referred to, by 

 which it appears that there is not a single plant indigenous to Australia worth 

 cultivating for its fruit, or as a culinary vegetable, unless it be the common 

 mushroom. Most of the European fruits and vegetables, however, thrive 

 well. It will readily be conceived that in such a climate as Austraha a green 

 lawn cannot readily be obtained in the summer season ; nevertheless we have 

 a substitute for perpetual verdant herbage in a stemless evergreen Xanthor- 

 rhoe^a, or grass tree, which reminds us of a plant recommended by Duhamel for 

 a similar purpose in the warmer parts of France, the ephedra (jE. of Trees 

 and Shrubs, p. 937.) ; while for dry sandy soils, both in France and England, 

 M. Vilmorin recommends (Vol. for 1841, p. 199.) the ^romus pratensis. 



We could extract many singular facts and entertaining passages from this 

 work, but we prefer recommending the original. We intend, however, to 

 return to it, and select a list of the plants mentioned, bringing together their 

 habitats and such other particulars as lie scattered over the volume. We 

 could wish, indeed, that this had been done by Mr. Backhouse himself, either 

 in an appendix or in a botanical index. 



