336 BOTANICAL NOTES OX QUEEXSLAXD, 



Bark, to be noticed presently, and I am still not very clear on 

 the subject as the trees are in many respects so very much alike. 

 But they grow side by side, and the opposite leaved character of 

 the present species is always maintained. Still the appearance 

 is that of a Eucalypt not fully developed, especially in that 

 whitish bloom on the leaves, and it never is seen of the size or 

 appearance of a fully grown tree. The only way to settle this 

 will be to sow the seeds of both and watch their growth. The 

 wood of E. melanopldoia is not valued for any purpose, but 

 mainly because it is so small and stunted. It never grows in 

 good soil and mostly prefers rocky ground. I have seen it 

 abundantly inland as far north as the waters of Carpentaria and 

 it extends into New South Wales. It generally goes by the 

 name of the silver leaved Ironbark, from the whitish bloom on 

 the leaves. 



JE. crebra., E. v. Muell. jSTo one who travels in the interior of 

 tropical Australia can help being familiar with this tree. It is 

 the prevaling feature of all the open gum forests, and as a rule 

 is to be found on all poor level ground. It has a hard persistent 

 •deeply furrowed black bark, and like the last species this 

 character is maintained on the very small branches. It is a good 

 timber tree and attains a fair height in favourable situations. I 

 have seen it everywhere in the interior, and I believe it is common 

 in the northern parts of New South AVales as in Queensland. 

 I should say it is one of the most common gum trees in Eastern 

 Australia, and a verj' large vocabulary might be made of its 

 numerous local names. On the Peak Downs about Clermont 

 and Copperfield it is especially plentiful, and all around the 

 Hodgkinson diggings. I mention this fact just to show that 

 whatever febrifuge qualities the Eucalypts may possess, the mere 

 presence of some species will not be enough to dissipate malaria. 

 In the places I have mentioned fever and ague were common 

 enough, yet the prevailing winds used to blow through hundreds 

 •of miles of these gum tree^ ere they reached the infected localities. 



