Nov.,-] 



1917 J 



Hart, Eucalypis about Creswick and Chines. lOl 



In considering the trees of the plains, the matter of com- 

 petition is of slight importance ; the trees are not sufficiently 

 numerous to prevent the occurrence of a species from this 

 cause. Some advantage will be gained by trees adapted to 

 stand water-logged soils over considerable periods, by those 

 adapted to activity at a low temperature if they are able to be 

 active in spite of the bad root conditions, by those able to stand 

 drought and exposure to the wind and to a wide range of 

 temperature, including both frosts and strong summer sun. 

 If a tree has to be inactive in summer for lack of water, it is 

 an advantage to be able to continue active longer into the 

 winter or to start earlier in spring. The eucalypts include 

 as typical of the plains Red Gum and Swamp Gum, two 

 characteristic wet-place trees, and White Sallee, a tree which 

 stands the exposure of high mountains. 



E. ovata, the Swamp Gum, may be regarded as the most 

 characteristic tree of the plains at North Creswick, as it is also 

 to the west of Ballarat (1,350 to 1,500 feet elevation), and in 

 the neighbourhood of Ballan, at about 1,600 feet. The same 

 species is mentioned by Dr. Sutton as occurring on the 

 volcanic plains near Melbourne. He gives a locality of more 

 abundant occurrence as Bolinda, which would be over 1,000 

 feet elevation. On the railway from Ballarat to Geelong this 

 species is common on the relatively high part of the plain 

 above Meredith. Off the plains it is almost always a tree of 

 distinctly wet localities, as in the valleys of the ranges at 

 Creswick, and is well known in wet places near Melbourne, as 

 at the Carrum Swamp and the Scoresby Flats. When we 

 remember that trees are more easily injured by excessive 

 wetness of the soil for a relatively short period than by ex- 

 cessive dryness for a longer time, it is not surprising to find a 

 wet-place tree the chief tree of the plains, the wetness of the 

 soil in winter being the most severe condition to be overcome 

 at these elevations on the plain. This species flowers freely 

 in the winter. It may be regarded as a tree adapted to stand 

 such conditions of a soil-wetness as would prevent the 

 occurrence of many other species. At Bragg's Flat, in the 

 ranges south-east of Creswick, it occupies the wet flat, apparently 

 too wet for E. nthida, which ceases at the edge. Occasioncdly 

 this species is met with in what appear to be drier situations. 

 Its occurrence on the plains implies power to stand summer 

 dryness, but it would be well to look carefully at the soil 

 conditions wherever it appears to occur in a dry situation. 



As we go further north the summer conditions are perhaps 

 becoming too severe. 



E. coriacea. White Sallee, may be regarded as a typical tree 

 of the plains north of Creswick. It is not abundant, as a ru'c. 



