Cole's Funny Picture Book No. 1   By: E. W. (Edward William) Cole (1832-1918)

Written And Compiled By E.W. Cole (1832 1918) First Published 1879 By Cole Publications, Melbourne, Australia. 73rd Edition Totalling 920,000 copies. []

[Illustration: Front Cover.]

Cole's Funny Picture Book No. 1

Or Family Amuser And Instructor; To Delight The Children And Make Home Happier; The Best Child's Picture Book In All The World.

It Contains Also Choice Riddles, Games and pieces of reading for Adults. Look through it yourself.

Long ago the Rainbow was a Sign it is said, Now 'tis the Sign of Cole's Book Arcade. So, when in the sky a bow is displayed, Be sure that you think of the Book Arcade. Cole's Book Arcade strange as it looks, Contains more than a million books. New and second hand, common and rare, Can get most any book you want there.

[] BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: The reprintings of this book since Cole's death in 1918 have involved very few changes, and in most cases it has been bibliographically misleading to term them "editions". Undoubtedly, somewhere in the past, the distinction between a "printing" and an "edition" has not been understood. However, with due cognisance of the irregularity, the practice of giving each reprint a new edition number accompanied by a running sales total is being maintained for statistical interest.

[Illustration: Portrait of E. W. Cole.]

Edward William Cole

Born Woodchurch, Kent, England 4th January, 1832

Died Essendon, Victoria, Australia 16th December, 1918

[Page 1 Australia]

Australia Is The Best Country On Earth

Australia a Grand Country

I think that Australia, for it's size, is, all round, the best country in the world. It's climate is pleasant and health giving. It has no desolating blizzards, no frost bites, and few sunstrokes. In edible produce, for both size and quality, it stands very high, if not the highest. I have been in many lands, but never saw a country supply such a variety of products as Australia does potatoes, onions, cabbages, carrots, peas, beans and scores of other vegetables in abundance. In fruits it produces apples, pears, plums, peaches, oranges, grapes, and Northern Australia also produces all the tropical fruits in abundance wherever cultivated. In corn Australia produces superior wheat, oats, barley, maize and all other kinds in abundance, especially when scientifically irrigated. As a milk, butter and meat country, it is one of the best in the world. It is the largest and best wool producing country in the world. It contains the largest area in the world especially suitable for growing cotton, the most extensively used clothing material. Flowers grow luxuriantly and beautifully whenever cultivated and watered. A few years ago when writing on the "White Australia" question, I stated that with high culture, water irrigation, and scientific irrigation, Australia was capable of supporting 400 millions of inhabitants. A high literary authority, in reviewing the book, remarked that this seemed like a "gross exaggeration"; but probably he had not thought so much on the subject as I had.