140 
Coming to the soils, we have, for example :— 
1. The sandy lands of the coast, together with the brackish swamps and tidal rivers. 
2. The moist soils of river banks and fresh water swamps. 
3. The sterile soils of the Hawkesbury sandstone, characteristically developed in the Coast Range 
(including Sydney and the Blue Mountains), but supporting very gardens of flowers. 
4. The better soils of the Wianamatta shales. The Wianamatta shale is a mud deposit on the 
Hawkesbury sandstone in the Counties of Cumberland and Camden—say Burwood and Homebush 
(near Sydney), Parramatta to Penrith, thence north in the fruit-growing districts— e.g., Galston 
and Glenorie; then going south, Picton and surrounding districts (including Sutton Forest). 
5. The rich soils of the Brushes, often the product of decomposed volcanic rocks, but often made up of 
soil obtained from other sources—washed down from high levels and moistened by streams. The 
decomposition of basalt or “ trap ” yields the richest soils in the State; this is the soil of that 
marvellous vegetation (now rapidly disappearing for dairy farms) of the “ Big Scrub ” of the 
Richmond River, and brushes generally. 
6. The granite soils, found in many places all over the State— e.g., Tarana to Bathurst, Young to 
Harden, New England. 
7. The calcareous or limestone soils— e.g., Yarrangobilly to Yass, Jenolan to Worabeyan, Bungonia, 
Nundle, Macleay. Limestone country is, of course, cave country. 
8. The black-soil plains of the inner west. 
9. The sandy soils of the west. 
I have made the following ten divisions as convenient in practice. They are not of equal value, and 
some refer chiefly to soil, others to climate :— 
1. Sandy coast-land and sea-side situations generally. 
2. Tidal rivers and brackish swamps (salt-water). 
3. River banks and swamps (fresh-water). 
4. Brushes. 
5. Between coast and coast-range. 
6. Table-lands and mountains'(say 1,000-3,000 feet). 
7. Alpine situations. 
8. Open forest (grass-land). 
9. Western slopes. 
10. Dry western plains. 
Obviously, as regards the localities indicated by the numbers, averages only have been taken, but 
I think they will be of value as pointers. In some cases the letters N. and S. (north and south) can be 
added with the view to greater precision. 
Explanation of terms. —(1), (2) and (3) seem to be self-explanatory. Sea-side situations are, 
however, not always sandy. 
(4) A “ brush” corresponds to what in India would be called jungle, and consists of well-watered, 
sheltered rich soil areas in the coast districts and valleys of the coast ranges, which not only support rich 
arboreal vegetation, but also creepers and climbers of various kinds, and shrubby undergrowth. The tree 
vegetation is of a most varied kind, but rarely includes Eucalypts. The soil of'brushes is not always 
volcanic ; in the County of Cumberland, for example, the Wianamatta shales often give the necessary 
richness of soil. In brushes the variety of trees is very great, and they are less gregarious than those of 
the open forest. There is a good deal of uniformity in the barks of the trees—a nearly smooth bark 
being of very common occurrence, while the trees are so close together that their leafy tops intertwine, 
and it is impossible, in many cases, to get a fair idea of the shape and general appearance of a particular 
tree. Only those who have visited our dense northern brush forests can form an idea of the difficulty of 
distinguishing more than a few kinds of trees. The massive trees, wonderfully vertical, remind one of 
cathedral columns ; craning the neck for an upward view in the dim forest light is inconvenient and 
painful, and results in only general impressions ; while if a gun be fired with the view of bringing down 
a twig for purposes of identification, the probability is that it cannot be stated, with certainty, from what 
particular tree the specimen has fallen. If one cuts through a tree, it very often happens that other trees 
prevent its falling down, and thus its leafy top is not available for examination. 
(5) “ Between coast and coast-range” is rather a vague term used to indicate trees which grow in 
the coastal belt from the sea-level to, say, 1,000 feet. Much of the country is grass-land, and also sides of 
hills mostly with an easterly aspect. 
