\"^-' 1 Avi) AS, An Eas/erlide in Ihe Victorian Pyrenees. 53 



plentifully, a factory having been established there for manu- 

 facturing it into brooms ; and, indeed, many of our sedges 

 should, under cultivation, yield a profitable return in fibre. 



Many smaller plants grew right on the water's edge, among 

 which the pur{)le flowers of the Self-heal, Prunella vulgaris, 

 were quickly recognized, and one of the Scrophularineae, the 

 introduced Musk, Mimitliis moschatiis, was here very 

 abundant : its soft, tender green leaves and yellow fiowers 

 kissed th-: i)urling waters. Many people are unaware that the 

 Myriogync minuta, a little plant which grew here profusely, 

 and is fairly common, possesses strong sternutatory properties, 

 and snuff could be manufactured from it — indeed, to casually 

 inhale the perfume of its flowers is quite sufficient to bring on 

 an attack of sneezing. The star-like blue flowers of the lowly 

 Isotoma flitviatilis broke the monotony of the mud flats, being 

 more ornamental than useful, as it is a noted poisonous ])lant. 

 having a very deleterious effect upon stock. Intermixed with 

 it, in complementary contrast., were the tiny yellow .flowers 

 of the Wood Sorrel, Oxalis corniculaia. It was somewhat 

 unusual to find the papilionaceous shrub Bossiaa cordigera 

 blooming at this time of the year, as it usually flowers during 

 the spring months. It was very plentiful in this district, and its 

 habitat seems to be confined principally to this portion of our 

 State. 



In starting my ascent of Mount Cole, I made for the point 

 where the race which supplies the township of Beaufort with 

 water starts from a creek which has its source among the 

 granite boulders of the mountain. The soil at first was of a 

 black sandy nature, but higher became a grey loam, with a 

 subsoil of clay. Although formerly densely wooded, the moun- 

 tain does not now, near its base, display a great amount or 

 variety of timbers, as the saw-millers have held unrestricted 

 licence upon its resources for many years past : however, the 

 Forestry Dejmrtment has now put an end to this ruthless 

 destruction. To carry out this policy the mountain has been 

 closed against timber-getters, and the trees which have grown 

 up during the last few years are being given a chance to develoj) 

 by a judicious system of thinning out and of shaping the 

 saplings. The trees consisted of the Apple Gum, Eucalypliis 

 Stuariiana, Messmate, E. obliqiia. Cider Gum, E. Gunnii, Manna 

 Gum, E. viminalis. Blue Gum. E. globulus. Grey Box. li. 

 elceophor a, and the Narrow-leaved Pep]>ermint. /:". atnvgdaliiui. 

 The leaves of the latter tree jiresented a very dotted appear- 

 ance, caused liy numerous oil-glands, bearing e\'iden((> of the 

 l)rcsencc of exceptional {piantities of I'ssential oil. wlii<ii is 

 (listillt'd princii)ally from this eucalypt. 



I'hv sliiubs were just such as one usually meets with on any 



