Agricultural and Horticultural Resources. 45 



a place in our arboreta ; amongst them the noble and quick- 

 growing Deodar will no doubt one day furnish us with its 

 excellent timber. The Totara pine is here of quicker growth, 

 and resists better the dryness of our summers (even on exposed 

 localities), than any other New Zealand pine. The Norfolk 

 Island pine, although the product of an insular most equable 

 clime, raises its majestic form, even in unfavorable localities, 

 notwithstanding the great changes of our atmosphere, and 

 should, after a series of years, form a prominent and picturesque 

 feature in all our landscapes. Of numerous other famous pines 

 no observations on their relative value to this country can as 

 yet be adduced, the various kinds being either not yet or but 

 recently imported into Victoria. On the whole, however, almost 

 all introduced coniferse exhibit a most promising appearance. 

 Thus, the huge Wellingtonia gigantea so far confirms our 

 expectations of seeing it one day a prominent object in our 

 vegetation. 



The red cedar of East Australia, so highly valued for its 

 timber, is perfectly hardy in the low lands of the colony. Its 

 consociate, the Australian India-rubber tree (Ficus macro- 

 phylla), as well as the genuine caoutchouc tree, might also be 

 cultivated with advantage ; both species being little suscep- 

 tible to the occasional inclemency of our climate. The culti- 

 vation of the saffron has, like many other branches of industry 

 requiring a low rate of labor, never as yet been attempted, 

 although the plant is well suited to a climate which ripens the 

 grape. 



Madder is of luxuriant growth, but not yet cultivated for 

 practical purposes. 



As the isothermal zones would lead us to expect, most of the 

 Chinese plants have adapted themselves to our seasons. The 

 camphor tree and the grass-cloth plants grow luxuriantly ; and 

 the rice-paper plant, and the tallow tree also, will probably 

 succeed. 



The tamarind tree may possibly be acclimatized in the 

 milder parts of the colony. The castor oil plant vegetates 

 with the utmost luxuriance. 



It is not at all improbable that the mountain rice will 

 succeed in the warmer and readily irrigated eastern parts of 

 the colony. 



The Lygeum sparteum, or South European Eope Grass, is 

 not yet introduced into Australia, but the equally valuable 

 and extremely tenacious leaves of the New Zealand flax serve 

 here as a crude cordage. The S. European Tanner Sumach 



