300 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Aprit, 1898. 
negroes (then slaves), they having a long-established predilection for the 
plantain, so that altogether Bligh’s botanical expedition cannot be considered 
as highly satisfactory. We are told in Captain Cook’s first voyage round the 
world that the edible part of the fruit lies between the skin and the core, 
and that it is as white as snow, and somewhat of the appearance of new bread. 
Allowing for a little exaggeration in Captain Cook’s statement, it is a 
very useful vegetable, and may be cooked in a variety of ways. Some prefer 
it fried in slices, as one would fry bread ; but the natives of the islands usually 
roast it in the fire, turning it round as it bakes, and occasionally scraping the 
surface, removing the accumulating cinders thereon, and, when quite cooked, 
it is broken into portions and divided among the onlookers, and the core is 
discarded. There is no seed in the core, and the propagation of the tree is 
done by root cuttings. Shoots from the roots are observed beneath the older 
trees. The root is severed from the source, and the plant then removed as 
required. A safer plan is not to cut the root completely through in the first 
instance, but leave a little substance to connect with the parent tree, which, 
after a time, when the young plant is wanted, may be removed, as the scion 
by that time will have commenced to root on its own account. It has always 
been a puzzle to me to ascertain how Bligh got his plants ; it seems he must 
have secured 300 or 400 at least. Perhaps, at Tahiti, supplies of plants were 
obtainable more readily than at the present time from some of the other South 
Sea Islands. Not only is the breadfruit valuable as a fruit-bearing tree, but 
from the exuding gum.a material is prepared by the Fijians, and probably by 
other South Sea tribes, with which they caulk their canoes. ‘This, after 
preparation, is of a dark colour like our own pitch. The inner layer of the 
bark of the tree is covered with a fibrous coating, which is beaten into a sheet 
and forms a “tappa,” or native dress. This has rather a neat appearance, and 
is appreciated by the natives for its coolness. It is sometimes dyed, and 
fantastic patterns formed in different colours on its surface. The Fijian 
natives call them “‘sooloos.” The fact thatthe breadfruit has, at this nursery, 
borne fruit during 1897, and is still bearing, makes it apparent that five years 
is necessary for this desideratum. 
This and other matters of a like character is what our State Nursery was 
designed to establish. Johnson says, in his Gardeners’ Dictionary, 1886, 
speaking of Ariocarpus :—* In this order we meet’ with such anomalies as the 
invaluable breadfruit of the tropics, the useful cow-tree of the Caraccas, and 
the virulent poison of the Upas-tree of Java, side by side.” He further says 
that the best method of propagating the tree is to place cuttings of ripened 
wood in sand, and in a brisk, sweet, bottom heat, loamy soil, and that “ the 
flowers of all the species are whitish green.” To those of our fellow-colonists 
who live in the Southern portion of Queensland it may be as well to advise that 
the tree requires a high and very moist atmosphere, a copious supply of water, 
perfect drainage, and a sandy compost of rich loam and leaf mould. Mr. 
Nicholson, A.L.S., Curator of the Kew Royal Botanic Gardens, SAYS :— 
“Under all condilions this genus is difficult to propagate. The young and 
slender lateral growths are adapted for cuttings, and suckers may be ‘utilised ~ 
when procurable, which is rare.” In all probability Mr. Nicholson is correct. 
Of course we have a great advantage living in the tropics, but others have 
found the difficulty of propagating the young plants. The Curator of the 
Townsville Botanic Gardens had recently a quantity of young plants, but did 
not say how he reared them. It is likely that the variety growing at the 
Townsville Gardens is a good one, but from what part of the South Seas — 
it was obtained is not known by the writer. A. R. Wallace, in his excellent 
work, “The Malay Archipelago,” says, speaking of the breadfruit:—* With 
meat and gravy it is superior to anything I know—either in temperate or 
tropical countries; with sugar, milk, butter, or treacle, it makes a delicious 
pudding, having a very slight and delicate but characteristic flavour, which, 
like that of good bread and potatoes, one never gots tired of.” I do not agree 
with Mr, Wallace in this or in some other statements he has made regarding 
