29 



prepared by a boiling process, after whicli the leaves were scraped! 

 with a blunt instrniQeut. 



The " Sedge family " (Cyperaceae) includes a number of useful 

 plants suitable for paper pulp. Two species of Carex (Carex 

 paniculata and Carex tereticaulis) ; the same of Gahnia or Cladium, 

 "Black Eeed"; one of Scirpus, or "Knotted Rush"; Schasnus 

 brevifolius, "Cord Rush"; and three species of Lepidosperma, 

 or " Sword Rush," are all wild in Victoria and other parts of 

 Australia, and all alike useful for the purpose mentioned. 



Lastly, the " Grass family " (6ramine£e)j which is the most 

 important of all to man, as it produces corn for his bread and 

 food for his flocks and herds, yields perhaps the most abundant 

 and best material for paper making. Our Victorian " Wire 

 Grass " (Poa cajspitosa), which grows to a height of 4 feet, 

 might, with proper appliances, even rival the celebrated "Esparto" 

 (Stipa tenacissima) of South Europe. 



PRACTICAL OUTCOME. 



I may remark that this is but a brief sketch of what might 

 and what deserved to be said in reference to some of the 

 experimental fibres, and will suffice to indicate that there is a 

 Yast field of enterprise open to our farmers and settlers generally 

 in the way of, if not going in for the absolute cultivation of one 

 or more of them, still of utilizing their waste patches of land by 

 trying such plants as would be most likely to succeed thereon, 

 taking into account whether they be sandy, stony, swamjjy, or 

 subject to flood. And, further, it may be pointed out that after the 

 first planting (except, of course, low-growing perennial or herba- 

 ceous plants) few, if any, of the fibre-producing trees or large 

 shrubs mentioned require any special attention more than can be 

 given them by the women or children of the household. Unlike 

 cereal and other field crops, they do not require continual care 

 and nurture. Given a suitable soil and climate, most of tiiem only 

 need to be left alone until they attain their full maturity. 



I should indeed be sorry to be the means of misleading any one 

 by stating positively that a crop of this or that would afford a 

 large profit to the grower. No ; my work in the laboratory and 

 experience in the garden are well enough in their way ; but, as 

 Bacon says — "I only sound the clarion, but I enter not into the' 

 battle." It remains for experts to decide what uses these new 

 native or Austrahan-growu fibres can be put to, whether for 

 the manufacture of rope, cordage, textile fabrics, or paper, &c.; 

 whether they are equal to the imported fibres, and, if so, what is- 

 their market value to the Victorian producer? In the long list 



