22 
REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE 
in the brush lands of Queensland and New South Wales, attaining a height 
of seventy-five feet, and with a trunk more than five feet in diameter. 
The Pipturus propinquus, Sterculia rupestris, Sida retusa, and many 
others grow as quickly here as in Queensland. Quite as good results, 
therefore, might be expected by cultivating these plants; but need we go 
further than our own colony of Victoria for quality or quantity of fibre 
or paper material, when our forests teem with valuable plants suitable 
for their manufacture. If we only instance the Pimelias, Dianellas, 
Plagianthus, Cladiums, Lepidosperma or “Mat-grass,” Commersonia, 
Brachychiton populneum, Urtica incisa, Cyperus, Typha, Scirpus, 
Carex, Isolepis, and the rushes Juncus — vaginatus, maritima, and pauci- 
flora (and there are scores of other indigenous plants equally valuable), 
rags need no longer be collected for paper making, or introductions from 
other countries for cordage. With sixty millions of acres of good land 
included between the parallels 30° and 39° south latitude, we can, with- 
out cultivation, reap abundant harvests of paper material, even from 
various species of Eucalypti, Xerotes, Melaleuca, Cyperus, and others, 
and indeed from some of the grasses which are plentiful in the midst. 
Our native vegetable resources are great, and should therefore be 
thoroughly searched up. My thirty crude samples of paper, which 
are sent in frames, were prepared under great difficulties, and were only 
made to prove what can be done with some of our native plants. Many 
of them are new, but the indefatigable Mr. Ramsden of the Victorian 
Paper Mills, has devoted his attention particularly to the manufacture of 
paper from Victorian plants, and he will, no doubt, be able to add to his 
collection long before the colony has been thoroughly explored. 
The Dyes forwarded in bottles, are not so numerous as they would 
have been had time permitted me to send out collectors; but the samples 
of silk, calico, and woollen material stained with them show a variety 
of beautiful colors, the value of which will, no doubt, be proved at 
Philadelphia. 
I regret to say that my collection of woods could not be properly 
seasoned. Some of them were polished within a week after they were 
cut from the tree, consequently many of the specimens have split from 
end to end, 
I have the honor to be, 
Gentlemen, 
Yours, &c., 
W. R. GUILFOYLE, 
Director, Melbourne Botanic Gardens. 
