138 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. {1 Fes., 1898. 
' great demand. This conservatism is bound to become broken down with the 
lapse of time, and many products which we never dream of using now will be 
largely availed of. 
We are now in the midst of a group of Palms, but there is only space to 
mention one more this month—the Palm Sabal umbraculifera of which the 
artist of the Department furnishes us with an illustration. What a noble 
plant it is, and as we look at it what a variety of purposes we can imagine its 
broad leaves and stout leafstalks serving to the inhabitants of a tropic land! 
How much more cool and grateful than the thin screed of corrugated iron 
between one’s head and the broiling sun is the thick thatch of different species 
of fan palms! What house can equal for coolness an up-country Indian 
bungalow? Its main posts are of hardwood, its beams bamboo, its walls are 
of areed—the Ekra grass; its roof is of a grass like the kangaroo grass of 
Queensland, often laid on to a depth of 3 feet ; its verandas are wide and low, 
and being heavily thatched are comparatively cool. _™ 
This Sabal is a native of the West Indies, from whence it was brought in 
1825, though the particular island from which it originally came is not deter- 
mined. It is believed to be Cuba. Our plant is only a baby yet, as this palm 
sometimes grows to the height of 100 feet. That in the Gardens is 42 feet 
high, which curiously enough is the height of the Royal Palm close by, as well 
as the Gomuti Palm above referred to. The Royal Palm seems alittle higher, 
because of a stray leaf which stands above the crown. oa 
A tree which always rivets the attention of visitors is now in flower, a 
short distance off, at the entrance to the “ bush-house”’ (this is an awkward 
expression : “shade garden” is much better) ; and truly it is « beautiful tree 
which should be largely planted. It may be readily raised from seed. The 
head forms a flat umbrella-like canopy; the leafis as beautiful as the frond 
of the most graceful fern. It reaches about 2 feet long, and has a central 
midrib with other small ribs on both sides like a herring-bone. On these 
smaller ribs are placed the small leaflets, 3-inch long. About 2,400 of these go 
to each fully formed leaf, be the leaf small or large. ‘he flower is cerise, 
divided, as regards the coloured flower-leaves, into five, which stand erect like 
banners. The lower one is a kind of platform for wandering insects to alight 
on. It is coloured white near the edge, and yellow further up. It leads to the 
nectary ; the polien-bearers (anthers) bend down to deposit their dust on the 
back of the visiting insect, who, all unconsciously, transters it to another 
flower. This is evidently done by a large moth in its native country, 
Madagascar, where there are several plants so adapted. Take a flower and 
leaf, and examine them. You will realise what the Rev. H. Ward Beecher 
expressed so beautifully when he said, ‘‘ Flowers are the sweetest things God 
made and forgot to put a soul into.” 
Next month we will chat further about the Palms. 
BOTANIC GARDENS. 
SEEDS FOR EXCHANGE, WITH SHORT DESCRIPTIVE NOTES. 
By PHILIP MAC MAHON, 
Curator. 
THE sceds mentioned below are available for exchange, and small quantities of 
those desired will be sent to persons who previously send us seeds or plants 
desirable to obtain for the Gardens, or for exchange with foreign countries. 
Country correspondents can help us in a number of instances. There are 
almost always procurable, in every vicinity, seeds or plants of some remarkable 
or useful native trees or plants; and even though the name be not known, by 
sending a portion of the plant between a few thicknesses of paper, it will be 
generally possible to identify it. Seed-pods should also be sent, and if possible 
