PREFACE. Y, 



northern gardener can scarcely imagine. But early-appearing hot winds 

 in November destroy those floral beauties in the course of a few hours. 



The average fall of rain during the year in the plains of Adelaide is 

 19in. to 2Hn.; but the distribution is unequal, even on plains not far 

 apart, each showing a great difference in the rainfall. 



In the Mount Lofty Ranges, about eight miles distant from Adelaide, 

 the average of rainfall is 40-677in. 



According to our indefatigable Government Astronomer, Charles Todd, 

 C.M.G., the lowest rainfalls have been: — In 1850, when only ll*644iri. 

 fell; in 1859, 11-647; in 1857, 12-650in.; in 1854, 13-437in., and in 

 1871, 14-926in. The highest fall near Adelaide was in 1875, when 

 31-465in. fell. 



This climatic sketch refers only to the plains around Adelaide. In 

 the southern parts, and in the hills, the temperature is much cooler, and 

 the rainfall, as already mentioned, much heavier. 



From the foregoing it can be imagined that not all the plants from 

 other countries will thrive with us. 



The Alpine and tropical ones suffer not only from our dry atmosphere, 

 but the latter also from the cold during the winter months. In the hiUs 

 the Alpine plants and those of other cool countries grow exceedingly 

 well, but the tropical ones are destroyed by the frosts, which in such 

 localities are even severer than on the plains. 



Not many European and North American forest trees prosper with us 

 in the plains. Only the elm, plane, ash, chestnut ,poplar, locust tree 

 grow vigorously, while the oak, lime, birch, horse chestnut, maple, thrive 

 only slowly, and suffer materially from the drought. AH the attempts 

 to grow the beautiful beech tree in the plains have failed, and even in 

 the hills it grows only slowly, while the other trees mentioned thrive 

 most luxuriantly in those localities. 



It is the same with the coniferous trees. The most vigorous growing 

 European pines on the plains are only Pinus halepensis Mill,, Pinaster, 

 Ait., and Pinea Linn. All other kinds show only a very moderate 

 growth. Pinus syhiestris, Linn, and the genera Picea and Abies are of a 

 lingering growth, while Pinus Larix Linn, succumbs to the slightest hot 

 winds and droughts. Of this fine tree not one specimen is met with in 

 South Australia. 



Of the Californian coniferous trees only such as appear' at an 

 elevation of 1,000 to 2,000 feet do remarkably well in the plains of 

 South Australia, especially -Pmw* insignis Dougl., which reaches often in 

 the course of ten to twelve years a height of 40 to 50 feet, with a 

 stem of 6 feet in circumference. The Capressus and Thujas thrive also 



