EUCALYPTUS TREES. 163 
however, in their stupendous altitude, but also in 
their celerity of growth, we have, in all probability, 
to accede to Australian trees the prize. Extensive 
comparisons instituted in the Botanic Garden of this 
metropolis prove several species of Eucalyptus, more 
particularly Eucalyptus globulus, and Ecalyptus obli- 
qua, as well as certain Acacias —for instance, Acacia 
decurrens, or Acacia mollissima—far excelling in their 
ratio of development any extra-Australian trees, even 
on dry and exposed spots, such into which spontane- 
ously our Blue Gum-tree would not penetrate. This 
marvellous quickness of growth, combined with a 
perfect fitness to resist drought, has rendered many 
of our trees famed abroad, especially so in countries 
where the supply of fuel or of hard woods is not read- 
ily attainable, or where for raising shelter, like around 
the Cinchona-plantations of India, the early and copi- 
ous command of tall vegetation is of imperative im- 
portance. To us here this ought to be a subject of 
manifold significance. I scarcely need refer to the 
fact that for numerous unemployed the gathering of 
Hucalyptus-seeds, of which a pound weight suffices 
to raise many thousand trees, might be a source of 
lucrative and extensive employment; but on this I 
wish to dwell: that in Australian vegetation we prob- 
ably possess the means of obliterating the rainless zone 
of the globe, to spread at last woods over our deserts, 
and thereby to mitigate the distressing drought, 
and to annihilate, perhaps, even that occasionally ex- 
cessive dry heat evolved by the sun’s rays from-the 
naked ground throughout extensive regions of the 
interior, and wafted with the current of ‘air to the 
east and south—miseries from which the prevalence 
