THE VICTORIAN ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIII, Issue 3119, 16 July 1867, Page 4

THE VICTORIAN ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

At a meeting of the council of the Acclimatisation Society recently, A letter was read from his Excellency the Governor, enolosing one from Colonel Merewether, the resident at Aden, referring to the ostrich which arrived by the last mail This bird cost seven dollars and a half at Aden, but the freight from Aden is £30, and this sum is only half the proper freight, a difference of one-half being made by the directors of the P. and 0. Company in favour of the Society. The cost of freight of course precludes the importation of any more birds from this locality. A letter from Mr. Morton Allporfc, of Hobart Town, was read, saying he had sent over twentyeight English perch, which the secretary reported had safely arrived. A letter from the Horticultural Society of Victoria was read, asking for some of the vine cuttings recently introduced from France by the Acclimatisation Society. The secretary was directed to reply that at present none could be spared, as it was very desirable to keep them all together until the cuttings have struck ; after then they will, of course, be distributed. A letter from Mr. Stutt, of Bourke-street, was read, offering his collection of animals to the Society for the sum of £450, but the council decided to decline the offer. Dr. Black brought under the notice of the council some beans which he had received from Dr. Bennett, of Sydney. The beans were introduced into New South Wales from Madagascar, and from the following from the last report of the Sydney society appear to be of a very valuable kind :—: — "I send samples of the Madagascar bean, in different stages, grown in the Governor's garden by Mr. Funsten. As I believe this bean will, in a few years henoe, become the staple food of many parts of this colony, and of the whole of Queensland and northern parts of this continent, I take this opportunity of recommending its cultivation at a basis of population. In Madagascar, whose population is over five millions, more than half the people subsist on this bean. For the last six years I have been trying to establish its cultivation in this and the northern colony, and some of the islands of the South Seas. I first became acquainted with its valuable properties about fourteen years ago, whilst stopping at one of the ports of Madagascar, and introduced it to tho Cape of Good Hope. Six years .ago I obtained a small bag of the dried beans from a vessel which had come from Madagascar to this port ; they were vied by the seamen of that vessel as a vegetable. From this stock I have succeeded in acclimatising it in various places round Sydney, but especially in his Excellenoy's garden, where it is now to be seen growing in the greatest; perfection. As the Madagascar bean is perennial, one planting will suffice for many years, and the long creeping vine, which sometimes attains the length of eight or ten yards, is admirably adapted for covering bowers, rail fences, or other unsightly objects with a coat of living green. In low latitudes the vines will produce beans all the year round. Here, however, the winter months arrest vegetation, but in the first blush of spring the vines shoot out afresh. I believe nothing will kill the vine except a very severe frost. The severest dought seems to produce no effect on it, even when everything dies round it. This I look upon as a most valuable property in this uncertain climate, and therefore most heartily recommend the cultivation of this vegetable to all who wish well to this country." Dr. Black also read the following extract from an English paper he had received by the last mail : — "A few days ago there left Belfast, by the Liverpool steamer, en route for New York, a lather novel consignment— namely, several hundred sparrows. The birds were encaged in a large crate or box having several compartments, much in the style of poultry boxes at agricultural shows. Sparrows in the United States are held in high repute by the farmers, as they eat up the grubs and small snails which infest the soil, and, being scarce, it has been determined by some of the extensive farmers in that country to import the birds into America." The Secretary reported that a Wardian case of plants had been despatched by the mail steamer to Captain Bayley, of Galle — the plants were kindly presented by Mr. Hugh Glass; also, that some magpies had been sent to Major Michael, of Madras, and to Mr. Crawford, of Calcutta; also, hat [three Welen rails had been received from the Dunedin •ociety. " ' " ' '