November 16, 1882. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
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two sections have been termed Colymbea and*Eutacta, the first 
including, according to Parlatore in Decandolle’s “ Prodromus,” A. 
imbricata, A. brasiliensis, A. Rulei, and A. Bidwilli ; the second 
containing A. Cunninghamii, A. excelsa, and A. Cookii, but for 
convenience they are taken in alphabetical order, describing the 
characters and uses of the species in the following notes :— 
Araucakia Bidwilli.— This is a very distinct and handsome 
species, which is found in a comparatively small district in 
Queensland, about thirty miles long by twelve broad, but it is 
very abundant in that space. It there attains a great height, 
and is valued both for its wood and seeds, the latter forming such 
an important article of food to the natives that the Colonial 
Government have issued orders forbidding the destruction of the 
trees by those who have a licence to fell timber. The tree is 
known as the Bunya Bunya, and are said to be the only property 
possessed by the natives, certain trees being claimed by tribes 
ig. 75.—CONE OF ARAUCAEIA C00K.1I, WITH SPRAYS OF SAXKGOTHASA CONSPICUA AND FlTZROYA PATAG0N1CA. 
or families, and their rights are recognised. The seeds when 
uncooked have been considered to be intermediate in flavour 
between a raw Potato and a Chestnut, but when roasted, the 
usual method of treating them, they more nearly resemble the 
latter. Though the seeds are produced every year the principal 
crop occurs every third year, when the natives assemble for a 
great feast ; and Mr. Walter Hill states that, contrary to their 
usual custom, “ they sometimes store up the Bunya nuts, hiding 
them in water holes for a month or two. Here they germinate 
and become offensive to a white man’s taste, but are considered 
by the blacks to have acquired an improved flavour.” 
In 1842 Mr. Bidwill, after whom the species is named, in¬ 
troduced some plants, one being purchased by the Duke of 
Northumberland for a hundred guineas, and the others were trans¬ 
ferred to Kew, and in the temperate house there are now two 
grand specimens about 25 or 30 feet high, and in admirable con- 
