26 Indigenous Vegetable Productions. 



The roots of Microseris Forsteri resemble in taste very 

 much those of Scorzonera Hispanica, and are, although of 

 small size so frequently to be found on all meadows from the 

 alps to the low lands, as to form together with the amylaceous 

 Typha root, one of the principal articles of vegetable food of 

 the natives. The bottle tree (Brachychiton populneum) 

 although restricted to the N.E. parts of the colony, is here 

 deserving of notice, the root of the young plant forming a 

 mucilaginous esculent. 



The tall cabbage palm of East Australia, (Livistonia Aus- 

 tralis) reaches in Gipps Land its southern boundary. 



GUMS, KESINS, AND DYES. 



The gum of the "wattle" Acacia is principally obtained 

 from Acacia mollissima, A. dealbata, and A. pycnantha, these 

 being not only more universally diffused over the colony than 

 most other arborescent species, but also more prolific in their 

 yield of gum. This gum, although generally less transparent 

 and pale than the genuine gum arabic and of less solubility, 

 is nevertheless very valuable for gluing purposes, cotton print- 

 ing, &c, having the advantage over the Arabian, Nubian, and 

 Senegal Acacia gum, in being less brittle after application. In 

 transparency and solubility it is surpassed by the gum of Pittos- 

 porum acacioides and other Pittosporums, none however being 

 sufficiently gregarious to render their products readily obtain- 

 able. 



The Sandarac resin can be rather abundantly gathered 

 from the Callitris verrucosa (Frenela crassivalvis Miq.), a pine 

 which is not unfrequent along the sandy tracts of the Murray, 

 and is scattered also sparingly through the interior, extending 

 westward and northward to Shark's Bay and Arnhem's Land. 

 The similarity of its exudation with that of the Mediterranean 

 Sandarac pine is evident. 



From the balsamic resin of the grasstree (Xanthorrhoeas), 

 in many aspects akin to Benzoin, a fragrant spirituous varnish 

 can be prepared. The resin has been used for fumigation a,nd 

 in the preparation of sealing wax. It has also been employed 

 as a Nankin dye for calico. Investigations seem hitherto not 

 to have pointed oiit any important dye-plants indigenous in 

 Victoria, although it may be presumed that some of our 

 various woods and herbs may yield such ; and indeed the 

 berries of Hymenanthera have already been found to furnish 

 a lasting violet pigment. 



