THE GEELONG NATURALIST. . 
The snow white spikes of the “ Prickly Box” (Bursaria 
spinosa) fill the air with a delicious fragrance, and attract the 
‘busy bee, It is a small tree or a shrub of considerable size, 
and, like other members of the Pittosporum family, the wood 
is valuable for turners’ work, carving and engraving upon. 
A broad-leaved form of ** Tetratheca pilosa” —rather rare—and 
the ** Tetratheca ciliata " (both attractive neat little shrubs of 
. the order Tremandrez), bearing a profusion of light rosy-pink 
blossoms, are always favourites with flower collectors, and 
should be cultivated. The elegant small blue creeper 
(Comesperma volubile) belonging to the Polygala family is, of 
its kind, unrivalled for delicacy of habit and exquisite colour. 
Passing over for the sake of brevity the Caryophylla (Pink - 
or Carnation family) and other orders, the sky blue flowered 
** Australian flax” (Linum marginale) peeps above the grass 
in places undisturbed by stock, andis not unlike the European 
flax in habit of growth and the quality of fibre obtained from 
its stems. . 
The Geranium order includes, besides “ Geranium dis- 
secum," the small but beautiful Pelargonium Rodneyanum, 
with purplish rose flowers, and a Cape species of robust habit 
(P. radula), which may sometimes be seen in old gardens or 
spots once cultivated. The latter is one of the kinds grown 
essential oil which they distil from the strongly-scented 
foliage. 
The Rue family seems to be confined to one species, 
namely, the White “ Australian Fuchsia” (Correa alba), 
which is a compact growing bush of three feet or more in 
height, and, like the ** Woolly Cryptandra " (C. tomentosa) of 
the Buckthorm family (Rhamnæ), is more abundant near’ 
the sea than elsewhere. 
The Leguminose (comprising tbe Mimose or Acacia, and 
the Papilionacee or Pea tribes) is more evenly scattered than - 
any other order—excepting of course the Eucalypts of the 
Myrtle family—and gives a. tone and character to the 
vegetation. Of the Acacias for instance, of which there are © 
eight species, several kinds grow in dense thickets, and, when - 
.in bloom, are gorgeous beyond description. 
The Golden Wattle ( Acacia pycnantha) is one of the 
most common round Ocean Grove, and fills the air with a 
delightful perfume, but the tree is somewhat stunted in form. 
For wealth of blossom and graceful habit, though the smallest 
bush of all—Governor Latrobe's Acacia—(A. acinacea) cannot 
be eclipsed. The-slender ** Bean twiner," with small light 
by perfume farmers in the south of France, for the sake ofan. 
