HOCKINGS' GARDEN MANUAL. 



133 



further efforts to extend the list, so as to embrace all 

 that would prove of value. Travellers mention apri- 

 cots as being indigenous, and the Chinese speak of a 

 kind of plum, of which they have several kinds, as 

 being hardy, prolific, and most delicious. These, the 

 mangosteens, and several others, would prove of value, 

 and every effort should be used to secure them, now 

 such facilities exist, by means of the junction of the 

 Torres Straits and China mail services. 



WINE PALM— (Elais Melanococca). 



Fkom Elaia,the olive. The natives of Guinea express 

 an oil from the fruit, in the same manner as the Con- 

 tinental nations do from the olive. It is used in 

 Europe in enormous quantities in the manufacture of 

 soap and candles, and for other purposes, under the 

 name of palm oil. The leaves are made into mats, &c, 

 and from the sap of the tree an agreeable intoxicating 

 liquor is made, called palm wine. 



This valuable palm, which is a native of New 

 Grenada, grows to perfection in the Brisbane Botanic 

 Garden, where it produces its large bunches of delicious 

 fruit in great profusion. It comes into bearing at 

 about seven years, from the seed. The bunches of 

 fruit are rather lax, and are frequently about four feet 

 in length by eighteen inches in diameter ; the fruit, 

 which is about the size of a plum, hanging pendant from 

 the flexible foot stalks. The fruit is juicy, and has a 

 most agreeable aromatic and spirit ous fruity flavor. 



The tree thrives in a rich sandy loam, and may be 

 increased by suckers and by seed. Being a native of 

 the tropics, it will probably grow to even greater per- 

 fection in all the northern coast districts than it does 

 in Brisbane. 



