1 Jan., 1898.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 33 
Botany. 
OUR BOTANIC GARDENS. 
No, 2. 
By PHILIP MAC MAHON, 
Curator. 
Ler us enter, as before, at the entrance from George street, and with map 
in hand make our way towards the centre of the Gardens, where we will 
look at the lily ponds, just now in their full beauty, and which we want to see, 
particularly as the aquatic plants which we can grow in our country are the 
admiration and envy of all our Southern visitors. But first, as we pass, have a 
- look at that straggling tree by the railings directly in front of Parliament 
House (B. 12). It is the Queensland Cluster Fig, or, if you like it better, 
Ficus glomerata. The wood is lightand soft, and it has not much industrial 
value, so faras we know.* It bears fruit most abundantly, and, although not 
used in this country, it has saved many a Hindoo from death in famine time ; 
indeed Gamble, who is an authority on Indian timbers, speaks of the fruit as 
being good stewed. A well-known member of our Upper House told the writer 
that he had eaten them in the bush. Buta curious thing about the fruit is a 
very small fly whom I do not know by whatever long name he bears just _at 
present. If you pick up one of the ripe fallen fruits and break it open, this 
little fly will pour out of the hollow fruit literally by the hundred. Very 
active he is, too, though evidently very much astonished to find himself in the 
light of day. He has a long ovipositor, which he moves about with every 
appearance of excitement. The Fig is known to the average person as a fruit, 
and so we speak of it popularly; but it consists of a number of fruits, enclosed 
in the receptacle, which is fleshy, and which is the part we eat. Now the 
curious little fly is there for the purpose of fertilising the fruits. Of course he 
finds his own account in being there. He is not there for any special desire he 
has to distribute the pollen of the flowers. All Natureis mutually dependent ; 
there is a kind of interlockng as 1b were, like parts of some elaborate machine, 
In Syria there is an insect which rejoices in the name of Blastophaga psnes 
better known as the caprification insect, which inhabits the. wild fig, and is 
supposed to effect its fertilisation. At all events, from time immemorial the 
cultivators have taken pains to artificially introduce the insect to their 
plantations. é ; . 
It may be mentioned that this tree is used for the purpose of manu- 
facturing bird-lime from its sap by the Indian bird-catchers. It is quite 
possible that whilst we are ransacking the forests of the world for India-rubber, 
some of our own fairly common trees will be found to yield a payable supply. 
To the left, a little further on, is a long avenue of the Feather Palm, It 
may be of interest to visitors to know. that these fine palms are only seven years 
old, which illustrates the manner in which ornamental effects can be secured with 
these palms ina few years. Halfway between each palm is planted a Weeping 
Fig, the idea being that by the time the palms tower far upward there shall be 
a cool colonnade of dense shade below. ‘There is no more beautiful simile in 
the Bible than that which likens a truly great man to “the shadow of a 
great rock in a weary land.” It must often be brought home with force to the © 
wayfarer on our great Western plains; yet few people seem to plant for that 
*The wood of the Fig-tree has, we believe, been used by the Messrs. Grimes for arrowroot 
cases ; and Mr, Benson is of opinion that it might be employed for light fruit cases.—Ed, Q. A.J. 
Cc 
