104 On a General Introduction of 



Camellia Sasanqua and oleifera can be considered as the Oil 

 trees of the Chinese. Being elegant plants, content with a 

 climate which ripens the grape and with a meagre soil, and 

 yielding tea, they seem to be eminently calculated for a profitable 

 introduction. 



The white Mulberry is employed in South Europe much in 

 the manner of the British pollard elm, and is, with good right, 

 recommended for field hedges -or garden walls in the colony. 

 Probably, in later days, the production of indigenous silk will 

 become remunerative, and we might already act, preparatory to 

 this branch of industry, in adopting, even regardless of its fruit, 

 the white Mulberry for the needful enclosures of cultivated 

 ground. The red and white Mulberry-trees produce, whilst young, 

 generally only flowers — a circumstance which may have dis- 

 heartened many in their cultivation ; but the fruitfulness of 

 these trees increases with advancing age. The most nutritious 

 variety for the silkworm is the Lee Mulberry (Morus intermedia). 

 I ought finally to suggest that no efforts should be spared to 

 acquire those gorgeous water-plants, which not only tradition, 

 and historical monuments of the remotest antiquity, have pointed 

 out as sacred in the dark ages of the past, and as a tribute of 

 mythical veneration, but in which also the enlightened 

 genius of the present age recognised the emblems of majesty. 



The Nelumbo, or sacred Pythagorean Bean (Nehunbium spe- 

 ciosum), will be probably easily naturalised, particularly when 

 already Sir George Stounton informs us of its occurrence in the 

 north of China. 



The equally useful and grand Nelumbium luteum of North 

 America exists, according to Mr. Hyndman's information, even 

 in Lake Erie, within the isothermal zone of England. 



It seems that the roots, protected by the unfreezing depth of 

 the water, retain vitality, and thus send annually forth their leaves 

 and lovely blossoms. 



The endeavours of transplanting the incomparable Waterlily, 

 of the Amazon River, and other waters of Central America 

 (Victoria Regia) to our lakes and lagoons may less likely be 

 crowned with success. 



Since, however, this brilliant plant has been flowering at 

 Mauritius, no difficulty can arise in securing it, with many other 

 tropical water plants, at least, for the warmer parts of Eastern 

 Australia. 



Far from having exhausted my material, I conclude these re- 

 marks for the present, and venture to hope that I shall not in 

 vain appeal to those colonists who have had an opportunity of 



