696 Forestry Quarterly. 



A large volume of some 458 pages, profusely illustrated, deal- 

 ing with the eleven genera of Australian Coni ferae, Callitris, 

 Actinostrobus, Diselma, Athrotaxis, Phyllocladus, Dacrydium, 

 Pherosphaera, Microcachrys, Podocarpus, Agathis, and Arau- 

 caria. The use of the term "Pines of Australia" appears to be 

 somewhat unfortunate and confusing since the genus Pinus which 

 is numerously represented in Europe, Asia, and America does not 

 occur in the flora of Australia. 



The authors ambitiously undertake to consider the numerous 

 species of Australian Conifers from the point of view of tax- 

 onomy, morphology, anatomy, phylogeny, chemistry, ecology, 

 forestry, and economic botany, an undertaking which might well 

 occupy the entire time of a botanist and chemist during a life 

 time. Owing to the magnitude of the undertaking and the limited 

 time at the disposal of the authors, information in regard to many 

 subjects considered is extremely fragmentary. This is particu- 

 larly true of forestry, geographical and economic distribution of 

 species, silvics of species, properties and uses of economic pro- 

 ducts, and methods of silvicultural management. 



The morphology and anatomy of the leaf and cone, particularly 

 of the genus Callitris, are considered at length with numerous 

 interesting photographs of external and internal structure. Cer- 

 tain phylogenetic conclusions of the authors, especially the theory 

 that Callitris may be "the oldest living representative of the 

 order" are not based upon sufficient evidence to stem the rising 

 tide of evidence in favor of the comparatively recent origin of 

 the Cupressineae. The internal structure of the bark and wood 

 are also abundantly illustrated. The chemistry of leaf oils, of 

 Guaiol in the wood of Callitris, tanning and Sandarac resins in 

 the same genus, later in Araucaria Cunninghamii, oleo-resin in 

 Agathis robiista, and crude oil in Dacrydium Franklini are con- 

 sidered at length and form a large portion of the text. 



The authors grade the various genera of Australian Coniferae 

 upon the basis of their importance in forestry as follows : 



Callitris, timber, bark, and Sandarac (resin), 



Araucaria, timber and oleo-gum-resin. 



Agathis, timber, oil of turpentine and resin. 



Athrotaxis, timber and oil. 



Dacrydium, timber and oil. 



Phyllocladus, timber and bark. I. W. B. 



