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SELECT PLANTS READILY ELIGIBLE 



more gigantic Fig-tree of Queensland is F. colossea (F. y. M.)^ 

 but it may not be equally liardy, not adYancing naturally to 

 extra-tropic latitudes. This reminds of the great Council-tree, 

 F. altissima. 



Ficus elastica, Eoxburgh.* 



Upper India. A large tree, yielding its milk-sap copiously 

 for caoutchouc. Already Koxbm-gh ascertained 60 years ago, 

 that India-rubber could be dissolYcd in Cajaput oil (so similar 

 to our Eucalyptus oil), and that the sap yielded about one- 

 third of its weight caoutchouc. This tree is not of quick 

 gTovsrtli in the changeable and often dry clime of Melbourne, 

 but there is eYory prospect, that it would adYance rather 

 rapidly in any of our extensiYely unutilised forest-gullies, 

 and that copious plantations of it there would call forth a 

 new local industry. Mr. S. K.urz states, that also F. laccifera 

 (Roxburgh) from Silhet is a caoutchouc Fig-tree, and that 

 both this and F. elastica yield most in a ferrugineous clay 

 soil on a rocky substratum; farther, that both can bear 

 dryness, but like shade in youth. SeYeral other species of 

 tropical Figs, as well American as Asiatic, are known to 

 produce good caoutchouc, but it is questionable whether any 

 of them would prosper in our southern latitudes ; neYerthe- 

 less for the conservatories of botanic gardens all such plants 

 should be secured with a view of promoting public 

 instruction. 



Ficus Indica, Linne. 



The Banyan-tree of India, famed for its enormous expansion 

 and air roots. Although not strictly an utilitarian tree, it is 

 admitted here as one of the most shady trees, adapted for the 

 warmer and moister regions of this colony. At the age 

 of 100 years, one indiYidual tree will shade and occupy about 

 one and a-half acres, and rest on 150 stems or more, the 

 main stem often with a circumference of fifty feet, the 

 secondary stems with a diameter of several feet. At Mel- 

 bourne, the tree suffers somewhat from the night-frosts. 



Ficus macrophylla, Desfontaines.* 



The Moreton Bay Fig-tree, which is indigenous through a 

 great part of East Australia. Perhaps the grandest of our 

 avenue-trees, and among the very best to be planted, although 

 in poor dry soil its growth is slow. In our latitudes it is 

 quite hardy in the lowland. The foliage may occasionally be 

 injured by grasshoppers. Easily raised from seed. 



Ficus rubiginosa, Desfontaines. 



New South Wales. One of the most hardy of all Fig-trees, 

 and very eligible among evergreen shade-trees. It is 



