their whole function is advisory. Thirdly, 
we have the Commissioners of National Park, 
their function being to manage the National 
Park only. 
In addition to the above reserves, there are 
areas set aside by the Government which are 
managed and controlled by the Forest De- 
partment and again by the engineering and 
Water Supply Department. These areas are 
reserves in name only as in each case plant- 
ing with an exotic Conifer ultimately takes 
place. Finally, there are private reserves 
which, of course, are extremely unstable with 
the notable exception of the reserve at 
Humbug Scrub, held by the Bellchambers 
family. This reserve, because of the estab- 
lishment of a family trust, will be held in 
perpetuity. 
Thus we see there are considerable reserves 
held by the Crown to insure that areas of our 
natural vegetation are held for all time. 
Even where clearing is carried out and, 
thanks to the hard work of Mr. J. N. McGilp, 
10 per cent, of land now cleared must be 
reserved by the Crown in its natural state. 
Where it is ppssible for such areas to be 
held in the corners (where fences are com- 
mon between different holdings) such a re- 
serve is a notable contribution to areas in 
which both our Fauna and Flora can be 
protected. 
However, the protection as given is by no 
means sufficient for it in no way takes into 
account species of local, sporadic or limited 
distribution, and plants which have such dis- 
tribution are today more likely to disappear 
forever than those widely distributed. This 
then brings me to the second means of pre- 
serving out native plants. 
The cultivation of Australian plants dates 
from the first collection taken back on the 
voyages of Dampier and, considerably later, 
of Cook. It is interesting to read contempor- 
ary scientific literature and note the enthu- 
siasm and mild hysteria which developed 
amongst the cultivators of rare plants when 
representatives of Australian vegetation first 
reached England. For many years South 
African plants had been cultivated and had 
established themselves, and their beauty and 
interesting characteristics drew attention 
everywhere. Into this field came many spec- 
tacular Eastern Australian plants, notably 
Correa , Epacris , Isopogon , Grevillea and many 
others. It is only within recent times that we 
have overcome our many objections to our 
own plants and we are now cultivating the 
more brilliantly flowered and attractive of 
them. 
With what peculiar methods of cultivation 
we persist! It is clearly another instance of 
our horticultural practices not falling into 
line with the scientific horticultural practices 
which are known elsewhere. 
Australia, by and large, is known as a dry, 
desolate, sandy, scorched waste and conse- 
quently we tend to treat all our Australian 
plants when they enter our gardens as in- 
habiting such areas. We would not think 
of placing choice and treasured garden sub- 
jects in harsh or unfavourable positions 
merely because certain areas of their natural 
country represent these conditions. We 
acknowledge the differences between north 
western America and the climates found in 
the central western and Texas and towards 
the Mexican border, and yet a completely 
analogous case in Australia is by and large 
ignored. Therefore the first step in the 
proper cultivation of our plants must be to 
give them the correct requirements. 
My main and in fact my only purpose in 
emphasising the cultivation of Australian 
plants is to insure that many rare and locally 
found species will be perpetuated in our 
home gardens and there remain for all time. 
In this way while, in years to come, we may 
not be able to show our own children or 
visitors these plants in their natural surround- 
ings we can at least show 7 them the plants. 
Too many cases can be quoted today where 
plants have either already ceased to exist en- 
tirely and are not to be found under cultiva- 
tion or that they are on their way out. It is 
not too late w r ith those of the latter to insure 
their propogation; with the former, one can 
only lament that they are no longer to he 
seen. 
It is true that many of these plants may 
have only botanical significance therefore, 
obviously, it is the duty of scientific institu- 
tions to cultivate these (such as is being 
Page Thirty 
