January i, 1890.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 497 
PLANTING IN QUEENSLAND. 
(From Annual Report of the Queensland Department of 
Agriculture for the year ending 30th May 1889.) 
Fruit, Cotton, &o. 
Drought.— It is generally admitted that no such 
drought as that we have passed through has ever before 
been experienced in this colony, so wide and far- 
reaching has it been in the disastrous results which 
have arisen from it ; the agricultural pastoral, and 
commercial industries having all suffered. 
Numerous instances of the effects of the drought 
have come under the notice of this Department ; in 
some cases, farmers who have purposed bringing a 
larger area, under cultivation have been prevented by 
the hard and baked condition of the land from breaking 
up the soil, in others, the land has been ploughed and 
prepared, the seed has been sown but failed to germin- 
ate, and again the seed has germinated, the blade show- 
ing itself above the ground only to perish. Pastoralists 
have suffered immense losses in sheep and cattle, while 
commercial life, which to a great extent depends upon 
both agriculturists and pastoralists for its existence, 
has been paralyzed. The drought has not, however, 
passed away without, I believe, teaching a valuable 
lesion to those who live directly from the soil. The 
rainfall throughout the colony is quits sufficient for all 
our requirements, if proper steps towards conservation 
were taken. In anything like a favourable s-ason, 
plant life is so vigorous that large supplies of fodder 
could be secured in the form of hay and ensilage, and 
many, who never before thought of saving bay, have 
made up their minds to be more provident in future, 
and since the breaking up of the drought a number of 
farmers are making ensilage, some by the stack system, 
others by the old silo process. In additiou it has been 
proved that there are large underground supplies of 
water, which only require to be tapped to provide that 
element so essential to all conditions of life, pure water. 
Inmany places dams and tanks are being constructed 
andboring and wellsinking are being carried on. 
Benicasa cerifera. — With the fodder plants a small 
quantity of this edible gourd was ordered, and the 
result has fully justified expectations, notwithstanding 
the dry season ; several farmers to whom seeds 
were given have been most successful in cultiva- 
tion of this plant, which is new to this colony, and 
which 1 believe will prove to be most valuable, both 
as a vegetable and as a fruit for cooking and pre- 
serving. 
Chobo-gi (Stachys tuberifera), referred to in my last 
report, was supplied hy Messrs. Cocking and Co., of 
Yokohama, Japan, and has been distributed through- 
out the colony, a list of the recipients of which is 
attached. 
This tuber is looked upon as a great cu'inary delicacy 
by the Japanese, and I am of opinion that it will 
grow well in this climate. The tubers arrived in good 
condition, are now making vigorous growth, and will 
soon give returns. 
Melon. — Kolb's Gem, received from the Depart- 
ment of Agriculture, Georgia, U.S.A., has proved a 
great success, nearly all who have grown them speak- 
ing in high terms both as to yield and flavour. One 
specimen, weighing 51 lb., grown by Mr. D. Jones, 
of Redbank Plains, near Ipswich, was shown by this 
Department at tho Warwick and Stanthorpe shows. 
This is, doubtless, a valuable acquisition to our melon 
tribe. 
Giant Honduras Sorghum. — The seed of which 
was supplied by Mr. J. Henderson, of Tambourine, 
has proved to be very valuable as a fodder plant both 
for cattle and horses. The returns to hand show that 
it has been a groat suocess, thriving vigorously even 
during the dry season. 
Oranges. — Reference was made last year to an orange 
grown in Nepaul, ludia. The steps takeu to secure 
seed have been successful, a small supply hiving 
lately come to hand, and have been placed iu the 
hands of thoso possessing a knowledge of orange culture. 
Mr. Gibson, of Ceylon, from whom the seeds were 
procured, speaks very favourably of the tree, which is 
wilil, aud, so far as is known, a native of Nepaul, It 
9 
is a very profuse bearer, the fruit being in size, between 
a mandarin and jaminaram orange. The fruit is brought 
by the Nepaule-e over th3 frontier for sale iu India, 
where it is sold at the rate cf 200 for one rupae. The 
flavour of the fruit is said to bo delicious. 
Bahia Navel Orange. — Two wardian cases have 
just reached this Department, each containing one 
dozeu of healthy young Bahia navel oransre trees, 
obtained from California through the Department of 
Agriculture, Washington. These oranges h;.ve a great 
reputation iu America, one report statiug that it' the 
American Department of Agriculture had done nothing 
else for tho States than to introduce this orange, it 
had repaid the expense incurred in maintaining it. 
Care has been taken in distributing them to place 
them with such persons as are known to be well 
qualified to propagate, so that in a short time this 
fruit will have a fair trial in the colony. The contents 
of one wardian case have been distributed in the 
southern part of the colony, and the contents of the 
other have been forwarded to the northern part. 
The Bahia navel orange is not to be confounded 
with the navel orange alroidy grown in these colonies. 
The Califoruims have tried the navel orange grown 
here, but have not found it to be a success everywhere 
it is tried, but if successful in one or two places, it 
will, doubtless, soon repay the cost and trouble of 
introduction. As its name indicates, this orauge 
originally came from Bahia in Brazil, whence it was 
introduced into America in 1870. 
Olives. — The attempt made by this Department to 
get our agriculturists to take an interest in olive grow- 
ing was made at a most unfortunate time, the dry 
season settiogin just as the truncheons were distributed 
proved anythiu? but couducive to success; nevertheless, 
in some cases the truncheons have started a growth 
and the preseut favourable season will, doubtless, en 
able them to obtaiu a fair hold upon the soil, and 
possibly this Department will be in a position to report 
more favourably next year. 
Riparia. — A small parcel of the seeds of this vine 
was kindly placed at the disposal of this Department 
by J. Mackenzie Shaw, Eiq , and have been placed 
in the hands of some of our viticulturists. This is the 
Riverbank grape of the Americans, is a native of that 
country, and is largely used both in Europe and 
America as a resistant stock on which to graft 
European varieties. Iu view of the probability of a 
visit from the dreaded phylloxera, it is well that 
our viticulturists should be armed with resistant 
stocks. Some of the seeds have germinated, and 
wi 1 in due course provide plants for future operations. 
Cotton. — There being evidence of a revival of the 
cotton industry in the West Moreton District, steps 
have been taken to secure a supply of cotton seed 
from the Department oTAgriculture, Georgia, U.S.A. 
Bamboos. — Eleven different varieties of Bamboos, 
entirely new to this colony, were secured by Sir 
Thomas Mcllwraith during his recent visit to Japan 
and have been placed at the disposal of this Depart- 
ment. They will be placed in the various Botanic 
Gardens of the colony for propagation. 
Instructor in Agriculture. — The Department of 
Agriculture, Washington, have not yet recommended 
a gentleman for the position of Instructor in Agri- 
culture in this colony, the latest information on the 
subject, extracted from a newspaper cuttinc, being to 
the effect that a large number of applications had 
been lodged in Washington, and that the Commis- 
sioner would shortly make a selection. It is to be 
hoped that this position will shorty be filled, and by 
a gentleman possessing a knowledge of agricultural 
chemistry, and thus the successful working of this 
Department would be promoted iu a marked degree. 
Colonial Botanist's Office, 
Queensland Museum, 25th March, 1889. 
Sir, — I have the honour to forward the following 
report of work clone duriug the past year, state of 
Botanical Library aud Queensland Hebarium, &\, in 
my charge. As one of the Commissioners appoiuted 
to collect and prepare exhibits for the Ceuteuuial 
International Exhibition held in Melbourne, I devoted 
