VICTORIA. [From the Sydney Empire,]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 932, 8 July 1854, Page 3

VICTORIA. [From the Sydney Empire,]

A new addition to the horticulture of the colony, the argan tree, is thus spoken of in the Melbourne Argus : — '• Some time ago we published a description of this very useful tree, as communicated in an interesting letter from the British Vice-Con-sul at MogaJor, in Western Barbary, to the Home Government. From the description of the

tree, it appeared to Lord Clarendon to be one which, if successfully introduced intoour Australian colonies, might, in time, lo a certain extent, remedy one of the great wants of these colonies, namely, a supply of food for cattle iv seasons of drought. Accordingly, a bag containing the fruit or seeds of ihe argan tree, has been forwar Jen •« our Local Government, with a view to their distribmv>u among the settlers of Victoria, and to the expenm^/" 1 introduction of this truly useful and desirable tree in tins W.aay. • Wof.ce has therefore been given by the Executive, that parties desirous of obtaining seeds may apply to the Conservators of the Botanical Gardens at Melbourne, Geelong, or Portland." Another monster nugget was being exhibited at Melbourne, It was found at Mount Molliagul. The weight of it is 342 ounces. Its length is thirteen inches, by an average circumference of from eight and a half lo nine inches. About it there is a very small quantity of clay stone and quartz. In its general appearance it resembles all the large nuggets which have been found at Molliagul. The Geelong correspondent of the Argus, writing on the 26th thus speaks of the progress made in clearing away the bar in the Bay :—: — " The steam-dredge employed in clearing away the bar, has been laid up for the lait three weeks or a month for the purpose of having certain blterations and improvements effected before proceeding to finish the cut already commenced. It j was found necessary to raise the shaft on which the line of buckets worked, so as to allow the j shoot sufficiant decline to throw the mud into the j punts without requiring manual labour; as in the ! first instance ; al»o to allow of the shoot being j widened, and having a high rim on either side, | to prevent the mud, in falling from the buckets, splashing over into the sea. Through this latter defect, about one-sixth part of tbe mud brought up used to fall overboard. An expansive valve has also been added to the engine, which will effect a saving of five cwt. of coals per day. The dredge will be again fairly at work, weather permitting, on Monday next." The foundation of a Gaelic School-house waa laid at Geelong on the 1 lth instant. The school is to be used for Divine service, until a Gaelic Church, which is in contemplation, is erected. The Mount Alexander escort deposited at the Treasury, Melbourne, on the 26th 16,08 i ounces 6 dwts. of gold. The following items tre from the Portland Guardian ; — " On Tuesday, 14th instant, Cape Nelson and ('ape Bridgwater were visited by Dr. Palmer and Mr. Childers, accompanied by a party of i gentlemen from the town, in order to determine j the best site for a lighthouse. The decision was unanimously in favour of Cape Bridgwater, and we lielieve there is every prospect of ateps heing immediately taken for commencing tbe deairabie and important national work, a lighthouse at Cape Bridgwater." "On Monday, 15th instant, Dr. Palmer and Hugh Childers, Esquire, accompanied by some of the leading residents of tbe town, made a boat excursion, for the purpose of surveying the site of a breakwater. We believe th c result of the survey was very favorable to tbe immediate astablishment of the long-talked of Breakwater." ]