1 Ocr., 1898.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 287 
The order of the appearance of the plants and animals has been as 
follows :—1. One-celled water plants, very simple Rhizocarps, &c. 2. Zo- 
ophytes, sea animals of simple structure, eyeless. 3. Molluscs. 4. Crustaceans, 
lobster-like animals with eyes. 5. Mare’s-tails, curiously jointed plants, 
leafless. 6. Club mosses, or Lycopodiums.. 7. Fishes. 8. Conifers, like our 
Araucarias. 9. Insects. 10. Ferns. 11. Cycads, like those before you. 12. 
Batrachians, huge frog-like animals. 18. Grasses, &c.; Endogens. 14, 
Saurian lizards. 15. Birds. 16. Marsupials, like our kangaroo. 17. 
Exogens, like our present forest trees. 18. Mammals, such as cattle, &. 
19. Man. 
You see that progression is the keynote of Nature, and if you would 
succeed in your garden you must march to the same tune. 
There is a demand in Europe for the dried leaves of Macrozamia. 
Messrs. T. Seibt and Becker, Berlin S., Germany, use them, and would, no 
doubt, be prepared to quote prices to anyone who could furnish a supply, and 
as one at least of the species is believed to produce ricketts in cattle they 
would not be missed by stockowners. 
To the left there is a curious plant which possesses considerable ‘ 
interest for us, as being one of the aboriginal food plants. It is closely 
allied to the Taro, which forms such an important article of diet in many 
tropical countries, and of which we shall meet with plants by-and-by. 
This plant is generally known by the natives as Cunjevoi, and by such 
name is often spoken of by whites. Its large rhizome, well developed in the 
specimen before you, is the part used, and is possessed of a highly acrid 
principle when raw, and is in that state decidedly dangerous, but when well 
cooked it is nutritious. Care must be taken that all the acrid principle is 
dissipated by heat. The huge leaning rhizome, a sort of compromise between 
root and stem, has tubers below the ground, and these the native splits open 
and roasts in the ashes of his fire, according to Thozet. They are then broken 
in a rude stone mortar, and again roasted and pounded into a rough flour, and 
then formed into cakes which are carefully baked in the ashes, and again 
pounded and baked until the acrid principle 1s driven off by repeated bakings. 
It is said that if a piece of the lower part of the fresh stem be rubbed 
on the part of the body stung by the Stinging-tree (Laportea. gigus), imme- 
diate relief will be experienced. 
The writer, last week, was where acres of Stinging-tree and Cunjevoi were 
growing, and, as he had never experienced the sting of the former, he wanted 
to try the experiment, but was begged by a very experienced bushman not to 
do so, as he had tried and found the remedy quite useless, but said he: “A man 
can become inoculated with the poison, asis the case with my brother, who suffered 
greatly at first, but is now proof against it.’ My informant is Mr. Rose, junr., 
of Woombye, who is one of the best woodsmen I have had the luck to meet. 
You know the beautiful rice paper upon which the Chinese artist produces 
his coloured drawings often microscopic in their fidelity to nature. That plant 
with the rather woolly fan-like leaves is the one which produces it. It is 
known as the Rice-paper Plant (Aralia papyrifera). It is agood plant to grow, 
for its very beautiful flowers, like sprays of white coral, come on at a time of 
year when there is usually a great dearth of flowers of any sort. It does well 
at the borders of shrubberies, and suits well in a large garden. It sends under- 
ground, however, long roots from which suckers spring up, and thus, in small 
gardens, it is sometimes found difficult to keep it in bounds. As, however, it 
will not cross a belt of other shrubs, a place can be found for it with the 
exercise of a little ingenuity. You will see close by, standing alone, and one 
mass of pendant white flowers now (August 15th), a dark-leaved small tree. 
This is a rather conspicuous object standing alone, with the kiosk in the 
background. It is the Queensland Nut (Macadamia ternifolia), and gives 
promise of a brave crop of nuts this season. It would pay to plant a good grove 
of these trees. It should be done in rich soil, alluvial being preferable. The 
nuts have a beautiful flavour, and are, moreover, very nutritious, and there would 
