BY THE REV. W. WOOLLS. 61 



years, it is only of late that I have come to the conclusion that 

 the tree in question is really an iron-bark, for on Mr, H. Bray's 

 property at Concord a similar one has been pointed out to me. 

 This the workmen called " Bastard Iron-bark," as the wood 

 resembles that of iron-bark, whilst the bark is not furrowed as 

 iron-barks usually are, but is more like that of box or woolly-butt- 

 Having examined the fruit and leaves of this tree, and having 

 ascertained that the wood is similar to that of iron-bark, I am 

 now convinced that the tree which puzzled Mr. T. Shepherd and 

 that growing in Mr. Bray's paddock are identical, both of them 

 being varieties of E. paniculata. If hybridisation were possible 

 in the sen us, one would think that the "Iron-bark Box" is a 

 cross between iron-bark and box, but according to the opinion of 

 the late eminent naturalist W. S. Macleay, F.L.S., the impregna- 

 tion of the flowers takes place before the operculum falls off, and 

 hence in such a case crossing cannot be effected. As this matter 

 has never been carefully investigated by any observer, nothing- 

 like certainty can be affirmed of the probability or improbability 

 of hybridisation. If, indeed, such a contingency might be supposed, 

 it would relieve us of many difficulties in the fixing of species, and 

 lead to the belief that some of the forms which resemble each other 

 closely in flowers and fruit, but differ only in wood and bark, 

 are merely varieties. If nature does not admit of crossing in the 

 genus Eucalyptus, it certainly encourages that of grafting, for, in 

 the neighbourhood of Mudgee, "the Apple" ( Angoplwra inter- 

 media) may be seen grafted naturally on E. rostrata, whilst, on 

 the Richmond Common, a similar eccentricity may be seen on E. 

 tereticomis. Whatever may be discovered, however, in reference 

 to natural changes which may be going on amongst our Eucalpyts, 

 Baron Mueller's cortical system is one of the greatest utility, for 

 although there are exceptional cases in which there is some 

 uncertainty from variation of the bark in the same species, yet, 

 generally speaking, his grouping can be maintained, and in cases 

 where the bark seems abnormal or differing from the ordinary 

 type, mistakes may be obviated by an examination of the flowers 

 and fruits. 



