1Q14 J Kelly, Plant Disiribuiion in ilie Healesville District. 6j 



herbaceous plants, the lesser ferns, moss, Marchantia, and 

 fungi, the humble associates of after-fire societies. 



Gratiola Peruviana in the lower hills takes on a similar habit 

 to that of Limnanthemum cxaltatitm in the flats. It favours 

 damp miniature gullies and water-holes, or any spot where 

 moisture collects. In the hills there are many spots distinctly 

 favoured by special vegetations, as sandy washes, which are 

 sought by such plants as Centipeda Cunninghamii, Lythrum 

 hyssopifolia, and Veronica gracilis. Similarly, in soakages at 

 various altitudes are Sphagneta, which are bogs in wet weather 

 and in summer desiccated patches. Each formation is worthy 

 of separate treatment — at least, those that together form a 

 stratum. Treatment as a whole leads to almost unavoidable 

 digression, and away from that definite and informative 

 description so desirable. On the other hand, it leaves the field 

 more open for observation by indicating the scope it affords. 



Lists have been prepared of the native plants and mosses, 

 with some indication of their part in the oecological scheme, 

 and also of the naturalized aliens, and exhibited on the table is 

 a sketch showing the district as it would have appeared with 

 the water-courses dammed back. 



The Decay of Timber. — At the May and June meetings of 

 the Microscopical Society of Victoria, Mr. C. F. Linblade, Mains 

 Superintendent of the Melbourne City Council Electric Su])ply, 

 gave an interesting lecture on "The Decay of Wood," referring 

 principally to the deterioration and destruction of wooden 

 structures in connection with electric current distribution. It 

 had been found that a slight leakage of current from an under- 

 ground electric cable helped to destroy the wooden cable troughs. 

 In one instance the trough was found to be rotting on one side. 

 Inspection revealed that a leakage of current was occurring 

 there, which promoted a vigorous growth of certain destructive 

 fungi and bacteria, the woodwork being in a state of fer- 

 mentation, and a fragment treated in a test-tube gave off 

 carbonic acid gas. The fact that electric cables keep the 

 ground in their neighbourhood at a certain fairly even 

 temperature seemed to be responsible for the flourish- 

 ing growths of fungi often found in their vicinity. 

 The toadstools often found growing at the bottoms of 

 telegraph poles were very destructive. Their roots penetrated 

 into the wood, producing ferments which destroyed all but the 

 threads of cellulose, and so weakened the pole. Other fungi 

 gained access to the poles above ground through cracks, and 

 caused the interior to crumble. One particular fungus turned 

 the wood to a beautiful deep rose colour, and was one of the 

 most harmful known in Melbourne. 



