FLORA, FAUNA, AND LANGUAGE. 
315 
cleverly into spoons and cups, and when once 
used are thrown upon the fire; and the midrib 
is used for ladders, palanquin poles—and, in fact, 
for anything and everything which demands 
lightness and toughness. 
The tree-ferns of the Malagasy forests are very 
striking and beautiful. To those who are only 
accustomed to the attenuated and dwarf-like 
forms of the species of the vegetable kingdom 
with which we are acquainted in the valleys or 
glens of our English counties, these towering 
and majestic specimens of almost every variety 
of the fern tribe are most pleasing. Belts and 
groves of these trees are to be seen ; and some of 
them show a peculiar marking of the frond and 
scalloping of the edge not to be found elsewhere. 
The reckless waste of such valuable woods as 
mahogany and teak, and other hard and beauti¬ 
fully grained trees, which is at present going on 
in the island, is much to be regretted, as in the 
future, when new means of transit are opened, 
the revenue derived from the exportation of this 
natural wealth will form a very important and 
valuable item of income to the Government. 
Protests have also been frequently made, in the 
best interests of the country, against the worse 
than foolish destruction which has been going on 
for years of the india-rubber trees throughout the 
island. The right method by which the resin or 
