RECENT CHANGES IN THE FOREST-FLORA OF THE 

 INTERIOR OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 



By R. v. Lendenfeld, Ph.D. 



At my request Mr. Ridston, Foi-est Ranger of Condoblin, 

 compiled his experience on the above subject, and wrote a report 

 thereon to the Department of Mines. The Under-Secretavy has 

 kindly allowed parts of it, which I consider to be of general 

 scientific intei^est, to be read before this Society. These, together 

 with other observations, are used to exi)lain certain interesting 

 changes in the forest flora of the interior. 



In 1863 there was little or no pine scrub (Callitris) in the 

 Lachlan district. In 1883 the pine had taken possession of the 

 district and was rapidly superseding the .^ngiosperm trees, which 

 previously formed the forest in that district. It appeared to be 

 only a question of time, when the forest would be converted into 

 a pine forest. In 1885, when engaged in collecting timber 

 specimens, Mr. Ridston could not obtain a single sound tree of any 

 size with the exception of the pine. I myself visited the Mooramba 

 district at the beginning of 1885 and found theie a prevalence of 

 pine which was, according to the statements of old residents, a new 

 acquisition in that district. 



The pine seemed to grow equally well in damp hollows and 

 on dry hills. 



It appears, however, that the pine has now reached its maximum 

 development in that district, as patches of it are completely dying 

 out in consequence of the ravages of a beetle, Diadoxus 

 erythrurus or rather its larva. According to the statements of 

 old I'esidents, this beetle and its effects on the pine have never 

 before been observed, and it would therefore appear that there is a 



