23S NOTES AND EXHIBITS. 



Mr. Cheel exhibited a series of botanical specimens in illustra- 

 tion of his paper. 



Mr. H. G. Smith exhibited a fine sample of crude eudesmol 

 from Eucalytus camphora, Baker. This sample of the Stearoptene 

 of Eucalyptus oil was separated commercially from 9 lbs. of the 

 crude oil by redistillation. It had crystallised into a solid hard 

 mass, and, as shown, represented about 20 per cent, of the crude 

 oil, distilled from trees growing at Kareela, Paddy's River, thus 

 bringing the species within about 90 miles of 83'dne3\ The 

 species was named E. camphora b}'^ Mr. R. T. Baker, F.L.S., on 

 account of the large amount of eudesmol occurring in the oil. 

 The commercial possibilities of eudesmol have yet to be investi- 

 gated. 



Mr. Baker exhibited flowering and fruiting specimens of 

 Eucalyptus vimincdis, LabilL, from Johannesburg, Transvaal, 

 South Africa. In morphological characters the specimens show 

 no discernible differences from typical Australian examples ; so 

 that in this instance environment had produced no ol^vious 

 alteration of characters. 



Mr. Greig Smith exhibited cultures of Bact. eucalypti described 

 in his paper, and also a specimen of gum levan produced by the 

 bacterium. He also communicated the substance of a report 

 received from Mr. T. U. Walton, B.Sc, of the Colonial Sugar 

 Refining Co., giving the opinions of several mill managers upon 

 the prevalence of gummosis in crops of sugar-cane grown on land 

 impregnated with salt through being subjected to the influence 

 of tidal waters. A summar}^ of the opinions of most of the 

 officers consulted is that cane grown on salt lands is quite as 

 liable to develop gummosis as that grown elsewhere; but the main 

 reasons for the presence of the disease are probably the use of 

 gummed seed and bad drainage, and the latter is as a rule found 

 in low coastal lands within the influence of tides. One officer 

 instanced the case of a farmer who grew Mauritius Ribbon cane 

 on salt land long after this variety had been abandoned as 



