306 Account of the New Colony of Western Australia. [Oct. 



orange tree in full bearing. The Antkistiria australis, or kangaroo 

 grass; Mesembryanthemum officinale, or Hottentot fig; and the Anigo- 

 zanthos (several species), a beautiful plant, called by some the * kan- 

 garoo's claw/ from the resemblance of its flower to the fore-foot of 

 that animal. 



The trees and shrubs which are evergreens, are a great ornament to 

 the country, and furnish fuel to the inhabitants, shelter to the cattle, 

 and the leaves manure to the soil. 



Of the indigenous edible plants which were found most useful to 

 the early settler, are the sow thistle (Sonclius) Hottentot fig, the young 

 Stem and pith of the grass tree (Zanthorea), wild celery (Apium 

 pro stratum),* wild carrots (Daucus Sylvester), a species of Orach 

 (Atriplex Halimus) ; and samphire (Chrithmum) : these boiled with 

 the salt provisions were a good substitute for spinach and other fresh 

 vegetables. Of the edible fruits none were found deserving mention. 



The soil is of three different kinds — 1st, sandy— 2d, alluvial— 3d, 

 red loam; the first is found near the coast, and, though unpromising 

 in appearance, trees, shrubs, and grasses grow on it abundantly, and 

 with the assistance of manure excellent esculent vegetables are ob- 

 tained from it, as the valuable gardens in the farms of Perth and Free- 

 niantle sufficiently testify. The second or alluvial is in extensive flats, 

 and produces admirable crops of wheat, barley, oats, &c, without any 

 assistance from manure. The third, or red loam, which is met with on 

 the high ground on the banks of the rivers, produces the same crops 

 as the alluvial, but requires the assistance of manure. 



There is a great deal of subterraneous moisture, which appears to be 

 retained by a sub-soil of clay, which is to be met with at an average 

 depth of five or six feet. 



The mineral kingdom does not afford much variety ; iron is abun- 

 dant; mica and mica slate have been found at Kelmscott, and coal in 

 the neighbourhood of King George's Sound. There is a blue clay of 

 which bricks are made ; calcarious rock is found along the coast ; a 

 ferruginous sandstone in several places ; also soft grit,t or calcarious 



* Petroselinum prost?ntum, De Cand.—EDTTOK. 



■t M. Peronhas attributed the great abundance of the modern breccia of New Holland, 

 to the large proportion of calcarious matter, principally in the form of comminuted shells, 

 which is diffused through the silicious sand of the shores in that country ; and as the tem- 

 perature, especially of the summer, is very high in that part of the coast where this rock 

 has been principally found, the increased solution of carbonate of lime by the percolating 

 water, may possibly render its formation more abundant there than in more temperate 

 climates ; but the true theory of these concretions, under any modification of tempera- 

 ture, is attended with considerable difficulty, and it is certain that the process is far from 



