Small space has been left for a notice of such marvels as the bottle-tree, and such beauties of Australian vegetation as the flame-tree. The Sydney or Queensland visitor in the summer season may see in full bloom, in the Illawarra bush, the local 'flame-tree' (_Sterculia acerifolia_). The tree bears a profusion of scarlet racemes of flowers, and of large bright green leaves. The foliage sheds itself to make room for the profuse inflorescence, so that the tree has veritably the appearance of a fire. Cycads and palm-lilies are picturesque wherever they are met with. The grass-trees (_Xanthorrhoea_) are peculiar to Australia, and in some places cover myriads of acres. I have seen them in valleys in Western Australia growing so thickly that it was impossible to push a horse through their ranks. A rugged resinous stem five to ten feet high supports a drooping plume of wiry foliage, from which a flowering bulrush springs. The 'black boy,' as the grass-tree is called in the west, is often weird, and is essentially Australian. Useful advice to a settler would be, 'Be chary of buying land where the grass-tree grows,' for, though there are exceptions, the _Xanthorrhoea_ has a weakness for the desert. The warratah, with its single stem of six feet, bearing a crimson blossom resembling a full-blown peony, is one of the most popular of the wild flowers of New South Wales. The boronia, with its powerful perfume, will be admired by the visitor; the _Araucarias_ have here their home. The heaths are beautiful; and it may be said of them in their place and season, 'You scarce can see the grass for flowers.' For a long time the wild flowers of the country were neglected, but now in some places shows are exclusively devoted to them. The dictum of Mr. A. A. Wallace is not to be lightly challenged, and it is that 'no country in the world affords a greater variety of lovely flowers than Australia, nor more interesting forms of vegetable life.' The grape is providing us with a national industry; the orange-groves of Sydney, Perth, and other districts are amongst the sights of the place. CHAPTER XIII. THE SQUATTER AND THE SETTLER. PRESENT MEANING OF THE WORD 'SQUATTER'--CATTLE-RAISING--CAPITAL HAS CONFIDENCE IN SQUATTING NOW--ORIGIN OF MERINO SHEEP-BREEDING--MANAGEMENT OF A RUN--DROUGHT--BOX-TREE CLEARINGS--MODERN ENTERPRISE--SHEEP-SHEARING--'SUNDOWNERS'--FARMING PROSPECTS--CHEAP LAND--EASY HARVESTING--SMALL CAPITAL--SELECTION CONDITIONS--BUSH FIRES--BLACK THURSDAY--THE OTWAY DISASTER--LOST IN THE BUSH--MISSING CHILDREN. [Illustration: GRASS-TREES.] [Illustration: DRIVING CATTLE.]