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The two principal planting problems in New South Wales affect (<i) the coastal 
sandy strip ; (6) the Western Plains. Many special difficulties are involved in regard 
to plant-life in these areas, and the present does not afford r.n opportunity for discussion 
of them. 
In forming an idea of the appearance of trees in the Sydney district the Botanic 
Gardens is full of lessons, but it must be remembered that the soil is, as a rule, very 
poor, but it possesses many very sheltered situations. Further, in many cases the trees 
are too crowded together to enable specimen trees to be formed, and so they often have 
to be severely cut back. 
In the Domain, because of its rocky and exposed character, there is but little 
opportunity for growing trees in variety. In the Centennial Park the conditions are 
very difficult, and successive Annual Reports show how many trees have been tested 
there. 
Native Trees. -First let me earnestly recommend people to cultivate what is 
best in their districts ; let them grow the native trees. I am not so foolish as to ask 
people to grow only native plants. Let us grow the best things available, but I feel 
sure that, in this regard, people often " go farther and faie worse." It may be news 
to some that in New South Wales we possess nearly six hundred different kinds of 
native trees, and in this State are some of the most beautiful trees I have seen in any 
part of the world. Some people do already propagate the native trees, and still more 
people preserve those already existing ; but we want people to do more in this direction. 
Many parts of New South Wales have special climatic conditions, and the native trees 
which have become acclimatised throughout the ages are the safest to rely upon in 
trying times. Tried friends are Tristania conferta, the Brush box; Grevillea robusta, 
the Silky oak ; Castanospermum australe, the Moreton Bay Chestnut ; various Eucalypts, 
such as the Yellow Box (melliodora), Black or Swamp Box (bicolor), Tallow-wood 
(microcorys), Narrow-leaved ironbark (crebra), Peppermint (amygdalina) ; various 
conifers such as the Cypress pines (Callitris) and the plum pine (Podocarpus elata.) 
Let .us never forget that in our Cypress pines (Callitris) we have beautiful trees 
which nourish in the coast districts, in the mountains, and far away into the western 
plains; the White Cedar (Melia azedarach), the She-Oaks (Casuarina); and I could 
run on. Visitors to Sydney often regale me with accounts of the native trees in tbcir 
districts, and the way in which they respond to a little attention. Native trees are, 
on the average, just" as easy to grow from seed as exotics, so that there is nothing 
specially difficult in the matter. 
Let me offer special notes on Wattles, She-Oaks and Figs. 
Wattles are unsuited to street planting, as they mature too quickly. They are 
peculiarly liable to attacks by beetles, and I suppose that the average life of a wattle 
as a symmetrical tree in a city is not above five years. In the smoke of a city such 
as Sydney the delicate grey, fine foliage of such a tree as Acacia Baileyana becomes a 
disgrace in two years. 
F 
