30 



to foster the introduction and multiplication of industrial plants, 

 as the continued acquisition and diffusion of foreign animals of 

 utilitarian importance. 



Unquestionably also, the periodical issue of essays on animals 

 and plants, to be introduced or to be diffused, will give additional 

 strength to the Society's labours. 



Should, therefore, this small literary offer prove acceptable to the 

 supporters of the Victorian Acclimation Society, then the writer 

 would feel sufficiently encouraged to offer in a similar form,* a list of 

 other plants, recommendable here for more general cultivation ; and, 

 although such indices only to some extent contain original research, 

 they are likely to bring together information, more condensed and 

 more recent, than it would be attainable in costly or voluminous 

 works of even several languages, and yet such treating perhaps only 

 of countries with far narrower climatic zones than ours. 



Possibly this publication may aid us also to render known our 

 colonial requirements thus far abroad, while it will offer likewise 

 some information to speed interchanges. 



For our Industrial Museum and such similar institutions, as doubt- 

 less ere long on a limited scale will be connected with each Mechanics' 

 Institute, this unpretensive treatise may help to explain the real 

 wealth, which we possess in our unfortunately almost unguarded 

 forests, or point out the manifold new treasures, which we should 

 raise independently in our woodlands, while also these pages might 

 stimulate both public and private efforts, to provide by timely thought- 

 ulness those increased timber resources, without which the next 

 generations of this land can be neither hale nor prosperous. 



I.— CONIFEROUS TREES. 



Araucaria Bidwilli, Hook * 



Bunya Bunya. Southern Queensland. A tree 150 feet in height, with 

 a fine grained, hard and durable wood ; the seeds are edible. 



Araucaria Brasiliensis, A. Kich. 



Brazilian Pine. A tree, 100 feet high, producing edible seeds. 

 Ought to be tried in our fern gullies. 



Araucaria Cookii, R. Br. 



In New Caledonia, where it forms large forests. Height of tree 200 



feet. 

 Araucaria Cunninghami, Ait.* 



Moreton-Bay Pine. — East Australia, between 14° and 32° S. latitude. 



The tree gets 130 feet bigh. The timber is used for ordinary furniture, 

 Araucaria excelsa, B. Br* 



Norfolk-Island Pine. —A magnificent tree, sometimes 220 feet high, 



with a stem attaining ten feet in diameter. The timber is useful for 



ship-building and many other purposes. 



* A short essay on such plants and trees as well was promulgated by the 

 Philos. Society of Victoria 1858, pp. 93—105. 



