7 8 The Australasian Scientific Magazine. [Sept, i, 1885. 
This has been the severest winter known in the United States for many 
years, and in addition to the loss of life among the Western farmers, the sacri- 
fice of beasts has been unprecedented. In Kansas and Montana in some 
districts over fifty per cent, have perished. According to a letter from 
Kansas the scenes on some of the ranches are frightful. When the weather 
is very severe the cattle herd close together, and, huddling closer and 
closer, gradually “pile up” upon one another, when the weaker of course 
perish. Even ranche-owners who had plenty of fodder were obliged to keep 
men constantly at work with pitchforks to keep their cattle from piling up. 
The result is that heaps of dead cattle are to be found throughout the 
grazing States and territories. All this is due to sheer carelessness and 
negligence. No preparations are made for housing the cattle, nor is fodder 
systematically provided, though it would be easy to do this at small 
expense. The supply of water at such times also is really as insufficient as 
in Queensland during a drought. 
The Banana. — Musa Carendis/ni, or, as it is sometimes called, being 
a native of China, M. Sinensis. But the genus contains many highly 
ornamental species and varieties, some of which, but not all, produce 
delicious fruits known as the banana and the plantain. They appear to be 
indigenous in all tropical countries, and so much are they esteemed that 
great attention is bestowed upon the raising of superior bearing varieties. 
Thus, in Jamaica, Trinidad, and other tropical islands an immense number 
of varieties are cultivated under local names. The fruits are eaten in a raw 
state, as well as stewed and fried ; in either way they are exceedingly 
delicate and nutritious. It is because of its dwarf habit that M. Cavendishii 
is so much grown in this country, seldom exceeding 5 ft. or 6 ft. in height. 
This species does not require great heat to bring it to a fruiting state, and 
on account of its low stature it can be accommodated where the taller 
growing species could not find room to develop. The leaves are oblong, 
two to three feet in length, one to two feet wide, and of a deep green 
colour. All the Musas require rich soil, and at the time of fruiting should 
be stimulated by the application of liquid manure, if, as is frequently the 
case, the root space is limited and sustenance deficient. The soil should 
be made up of about two parts rich loam and two parts decomposed 
manure and leaf mould, to which should be added a liberal quantity of 
clean river sand. Good drainage is indispensable and copious applications 
of water. Propagation is carried out by means of suckers (at least of such 
kinds as throw them up), which is generally at the time of fruiting. Those 
that do not throw up suckers can be increased only by means of seed. 
Land and Water says : — “ With the increasing facilities for rapidly and 
cheaply visiting Australia, it is not unlikely that a considerable portion of 
the annual tourist traffic from the United Kingdom will become diverted 
to New South Wales, where there is much to repay the labours of those in 
search of the picturesque and beautiful. The famous Blue Mountains, 
with their wealth of grand and imposing scenery, are easily reached by railway 
from Sydney ; and from the summit of Mount Victoria, where there is a 
railway station and several hotels, most enjoyable trips may be made to the 
wilder and lesser known portions of this romantic region. Among these 
is Mount Wilson, the surroundings of which almost baffle description. 
Countless tree-ferns, from ten to forty feet high, with emerald green, 
perfectly formed and wide-spreading fronds, intermingle in prodigal pro- 
fusion with sassafras trees, and that most gorgeous of all the mimosas which 
has leaves like, but far more striking than the pepper-tree (Schinns /nolle ), 
