BRITISH COLONIES—NEW SOTJUH WALES—SYDNEY.

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good ; the more fertile lands commonly producing trees ofcomparatively small dimensions, thinly scattered over theirsurface. The rich alluvial lands on the margins of riversare exceptions to this rule They are almost always heavilytimbered, and towards the coast their character passesfrom A. to C.

There are some characteristics applicable to the whole ofthe large trees of this class. When at full maturity theyare rarely sound at heart, and even when they are so, theimmediate heart-wood is of no value on account of itsextreme brittleness. In sawing up logs into scantlings orboards, the heart is always rejected. The direction inwhich the larger species split most freely is never from thebark to the heart (technically speaking, the “burstingway”), but in concentric circles round the latter. Somefew of the smaller species of forest trees are exceptions tothis rule; such as the different species of Casuarina, Bank-sia, and other species belonging to the natural order Pro-teaceæ. The latter, however, with little exception, belongto Class B. They split most freely the “ bursting way,” asdo the Oaks, &c., of Europe and America. A very seriousdefect prevails amongst a portion of the trees of this class, tosuch extent, as to demand especial notice here. It is termed“ Gum vein,” and consists simply in the extravasation, ingreater or less quantity, of the gum resin of the tree inparticular spots, amongst the fibres of woody tissue, andprobably where some injury has been sustained ; or, whichis a much greater evil, in concentric circles between suc-cessive layers of the wood. The former is often merely ablemish, affecting the appearance rather than the utility ofthe timber ; but the latter, when occurring frequently inthe same section of the trunk, renders it comparativelyworthless, excepting for fuel. In the latter case, as thewood dries, the layers with gum veins interposing separatefrom each other; and it is consequently impracticable totake from trees so affected, a sound piece of timber, ex-cepting of very small dimensions. The whole of the speciesof Angophora, or Apple tree, and many of the Eucalypti,or Gums, are subject to be thus affected ; and it is the moreto be regretted, because it appears to be the only reasonwhy many of the trees so blemished should not be classedamongst the most useful of the hard woods of the colony.Another characteristic among these hardwoods is deservingof notice. Although the majority of them make excellentfuel, and are valuable on account of the comparative quan-tity of steam they are capable of generating, the greaterpart are slow to kindle, and a few of them will hardly burnat all. To this circumstance, probably, is to be attributedthe small number of houses burnt in a climate, andamongst a population likely to afford an unusual proportionof such accidents. Few of the species of Eucalypti are richin potash; but several of the genus Angophora contain itabundantly.

It would be difficult to form even an approximate esti-mate of the number of species of Class A, producing goodtimber, throughout the settled districts of New SouthWales. It is believed that very few* of them have a widerange ; the same local names being applied many timesover to different species, in different districts.

Class I?.—Barren Scrub, covered either wholly with lowshrubby vegetation without trees, or with short-stemmedstunted trees, rarely or never producing serviceable timber.The same dry character of vegetation prevails over thisdescription of country, as over the last. The “ bush-fires”which sweep over these barren Scrubs once, at least, in everyfour or five years, effectually prevent the species which donot grow with naked trunks, from obtaining the dimensionsthey might otherwise be susceptible of acquiring. At eachburning, the majority are killed to the ground, to be repro-duced from the collar. Good specimens of their wood forillustration are therefore scarcely attainable.* It may beobserved, that the majority of the beautiful flowering Shrubsof the colony have their habitats in this sort of country,which is always more or less rocky, stony, or sandy.

Class C.~~ Rich Brush, or “ Cedar Brush.” Tracts ofcountry rarely of great continuous breadth, but often alter-nating at short intervals with Class A, and prevalent onlyat moderate distances from the sea, or, at all events, to theeastward of the great dividing range.

* In the first catalogue all the systematic names which have beenascertained are given in Homan capitals, the aboriginal names in com-mon type, and the local names in italics.

The writer takes this opportunity to acknowledge the valuable aidhe has received in the systematic nomenclature of the specimens inthis collection from W. S. McLeav, Esq., Sydney—Professor Deseaisne,of the Jardin dos Plantes-- and Robert Brown, Esq., British Museum.

This description of woodland often occupies country Class II.covered with rocks and stones, hut of such geological char- p , ~acter that a rich soil results from their decomposition. It Stainedusually follows the courses of streams ; and, in country fa- without,vourable, geologically speaking, to the formation of good Cultivation,land, the Cedar Brushes fill up the valleys and the gorgesof ravines with their dense vegetation. They are to befound in the greatest perfection at Illawarra, a few milesfrom the open sea-coast, upon natural terraces, skirting themountain side, at various elevations, up to 1500 feet, and uponrich alluvial plains, particularly in the districts to the north-ward of Sydney, where they are described to be of great con-tinuous extent. They produce few shrubs, but a variety oftrees of considerable altitude ; frequently of comparativelyslender growth, almost universally clothed with beautiful,dense, bright green foliage, tlieir umbrageous characterbeing much increased by the numerous lofty ligneousclimbers (“bush-ropes”) which attain their topmostbrandies, and frequently throw themselves from tree totree. At Illawarra, and in some other districts, fourspecies of arborescent Ferns, and two noble species ofPalms, add materially to the tropical aspect of this de-scription of country. A few of the trees of Class A are tobe observed thinly scattered through the Cedar Brushes.

In such case they often attain the most magnificent dimen-sions, but their general character remains.unaltered.

During the heats of summer, the atmosphere of the CedarBrushes is always much less dry, and the temperaturemore equable than it is upon adjoining lands not clothedwith rich vegetation. Bush fires rarely or never extendinto their recesses, which are difficult to penetrate, even onfoot, owing to the numerous irregularities of surface whichprevail, and to the tangled nature of the vegetation. Thesedifficulties apart, nothing can be imagined more charmingto the beholder ; especially where glades or natural open-ings occur, to enable him to comprehend the full grandeurof the still life around him. The extreme loftiness of thenoble trees, which arc thrown together in surprisingvariety, with stems, rarely cylindrical, but of the mostpicturesquely irregular forms,* covered with mosses and or-chids, and loaded aloft with huge masses of epiphytical fernsof exquisite beauty ; all these vegetable wonders, viewedin the transparent, green, and almost sunless light, whicheven on the brightest days pervades their recesses, com-bined with the delicious fragrance and the agreeable tem-perature, which in fine weather invariably characterisesthe Cedar Brushes, aslonish and gratify the lovers of sylvanscenery. But, although the senses are charmed, the diffi-culties in exploring them, to ascertain of what species oftrees they consist, are very great; and still more seriousare the obstacles to be surmounted in getting out new treeswhen found. The common use of the wood of the Cedar(Cedrela Australis) in joiners’ and cabinet work, and itsextensive exportation to the neighbouring colonies and toEurope, have induced the sawyers to penetrate into everynook from whence sawn timber could be dragged out. Butin” seeking out this particular tree, they would appear tohave neglected all the rest. The most experienced amongstthem have no names for a great number, and can give little

* Amongst, the forms which attract the attention ot a stranger, m.iybe instanced the Giant Nettle (Urtica Gigas), a common thrush treewhich occasionally attains very noble proportions. Two specimens,growing near each other, upon measurement, proved respectively tobe 40 and 42 feet in circumference, at four feet from the ground.The .smaller one, still in full vigour, rises from its base, by a series ofbuttresses of singularly regular outline, gradually tapering upwardswithout a branch, to the height of 120 to 140 feet; the trunk thendividing into a regularly-formed, wide-spreading head.

But in picturesque beauty, as well as in stature, the Nettle mustgive place to the Giant Figs. Of five species of this genus commonto the brushes, three (Ficus Macrophylla), and two with very smallleaves (the names of which we have not ascertained), become hugetrees. The largest actually measured girthed about 86 or 87 feet; itsvery irregular form preventing any approach to accuracy. It wouldbe difficult by description to convey an adequate idea of the grand,yet wild, character of these singular trees. Originating from seeddeposited by birds, high up among the branches of the tallest trees,the plant commences its growth by extending its rope-like rootsdirectly downwards. Getting firm possession of the soil, it thengradually embraces the parent stem, until the latter wholly disapnearsunder the successive ligneous layers deposited by the Fig, and be-comes the centre of an enormous fluted column, generally of veryirregular form, but always supported by huge buttresses, whichextend to a great circumference at the base. The Fig has now becomethe monarch of the surrounding brush ; extending its immense cupola-shaped bead high above the surrounding trees, and its roots, fararound, in ridges like low walls, several feet above the soil. An in-stance was observed, in which, supposing the tree to be standing aloneupon a plain, a hundred men might be placed, sitting or lying downbetween the roots, perfectly concealed from view at a short distance.