486 Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [10 Aug., 1916. 



The Spotted Blue Gum in general appearance resembles the Blue 

 Gum (L\ globulus) and the Mountain Gum (E. r/oniocalyx). From the 

 latter, with which it grows in company on the mountain slopes, it is 

 often not readily distinguished, trunks and foliage of the two trees hav- 

 ing much the same appearance. They differ, however, in their fruits 

 and sucker leaves, so that there is little difficulty in distinguishing them. 

 They also differ in their timber, while that of the Mountain Gum (E. 

 goniocalyx) is of a dirty brown colour that of the Spotted Blue Gum 

 is of a yellow tint. Though not much used, except occasionally for 

 wheelwright's work, it is nevertheless a good durable timber. 



No distinct information is yet available as to the value of this 

 species to honey producers and its habits and time of flowering. 



The Red Mountain Ash {Eucalyptus Delegatensis). 



(FiS. 52.) 



A very tall tree occurring on the top of mountain ranges. The 

 bark is stringy and reddish extending well up the trunk. The leaves 

 are comparatively large, often 9 inches long and 2 broad, pointed lance- 

 shaped, with the veins prominent, the marginal vein removed from 

 the edge. Sucker leaves broad, lance-shaped unevensided with pro- 

 minent veins. 



Flowers six to ten in a cluster on a stalk about 6 inches long at 

 shoulders of leaves; buds with short tube and half-round blunt lid. 

 Fruit pear-shaped with thick rim. 



Judged by specimens, of leaves and buds this tree is difficult to dif- 

 ferentiate from the Silver Top {E. Sitheriana), sucker leaves also are 

 very similar, but bark and timber of the two are quite different. 



Found in Victoria on mountain ranges in the eastern part. 



{To he continued). 



The importance of fineness of subdivision to the utility of crusted 

 limestone for soil amendment is shown from the results of experiments 

 conducted at the Pennsylvania Experiment Station, and reported by 

 Walter Thomas and William Frear, in June, 1915. 



The crop grown was clover, and separate plots were treated with 

 crusted limestone of various known degrees of fineness. After eight 

 and a half months the crop was harvested, air dried, and weighed. 



Th© figures show (1) the need of the soil for amendment to fit it for 

 clover production ; (2) that the fineness of limestone greatly affects its 

 value as an amendment for many months after its application, even to a 

 highly acid soil — the finer the limestone the better the crop, i.e., up to 

 the limits of fineness tested, which was finer that one-hundredth of an 

 inch. 



It is given that compact limestone of high purity should be crusted 

 to a fineness of not less than one-sixtieth of an inch, to fit it for econo- 

 mical use as a soil amendment. 



