Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1925-09-18

is bringing various manufactures into
existence from wooden mills TO
chocolate factories-to add another
extremely important phase 70 Tas-
manian activities.
The belt of rich brown soil along
Tasmania's northern coast has made
this region the vegetable garden for
southern and southeastern Australia
Shiploads of fresh vegetables are sent
in season to help feed the conceD
trated populations of Melbourne. sgd
ney, and Adelaide. These northern
plains are especially famed as pota-
to lands.
The most spectacular agricultural
development of the island, however,
has been in apple growing. 1t was
found that the region around Hobart,
the capital, produces this fruit to per-
lection. Now great orchards cover
the countryside, and more than 1000
600 bushels Of apples are shipped
, yearly to Australia, Great Britain, the
European continent, and even Africa.
Blue Gum Its Best Tree.
Heavy forests grow in Tasmania,
most of the trees being of Australian
| types. There are some, however. I'M
like those of Australia, which are ex-
/ actly like trees growing in TERRA del
Fuego, the southernmost tip, of South
America fact that has made geolo-
| glsts wonder. The most important
| tree of the island Is the Tasmania
| blue gum, a eucalyptus, which is one
of the strongest, densest and most
| durable woods in the world. 1t Is
twice as strong as English oak and
Is used extensively for construction
in salt water for 1t is practically
| immune from attack by the teredo
which soon destroys ordinary timbers.
Railroad ties of this wood last for
10 to 20 years.
The animals of Tasmania are mostly
like those in Australia, chiefly mar
supials, which carry their young in
pouches The kangaroo and our own
opossum are the best known members
Of this order. The queerest of the
| Tasmanian marsupials are the Tas-
manian devil, somewhat resembling
ferocious little bear, and the Tas-
manian tiger, in reality a marsupfal
wolf, Both were exceedingly destruc-
| tive to sheep in the early days and
have almost been exterminated by the
ranchmen.
Two slogans that have been applied
to Observation-Disclosures Of Aus
tralia" and "Sanatorium of the South"
speak Of an industry" that Is grow
ing more important every year. Dur
| ing the hot season In Australia thou
sands Of tourists cross the Bass
strait and make a thriving summer
hotel business in the towns and hill
resorts. SO. too, the tonic climate Of
the southern island is being utilized
more and more at all seasons by con-
valescent Australians.
Hobart, the capital, like its sister
capitals, Melbourne and Sydney has
an excellent harbor. The city lies on
| the estuary of the Derwent river a
| few miles from the sea. Ships Of ordi-
nary tonnage can tie up to the city
quays. and just outside the estuary is
huge, protected Storm bay in which
the largest battleships can find ample
water.
Aboriglnes Are Extinct.
Near Hobart in 1876 the last of the
Tasmanian aboriglnes died. These
people we're among the lowest types
Of humans ever found, much more
backward even than the Australian
aborigines. The skeleton of the last
Tasmanian is preserved In the Ho-
bart museum.
When Tasmania was discovered In
1912 by Dutch navigator, Tasman, 1t
was named Van, Diemen's Land,
name which stuck to it for several CEN
turtles. The British hurriedly estab-
lished the first settlement on the Is
land in 1903 for fear the French were
about to colonize 1t.
| The original inhabitants of Tas-
mania were black and woolly-haired,
but differed from the Australian abo-
rhymes. They are said to have been
the most primitive people of modern
times, having the development OF men
of the Stone age. Only about 1000
strong In 1908, they rapidly disap-
DeaEed. Their going constitutes one
Of the most tragic chapters in the
history Of the white settlement OF new
lands.