32 



globulus) and the so-called swamp tea-tree (Melaleuca erici- 

 folia), yield about as much potash as European beech. 



The foliage of the blue-gum tree proved particularly rich in 

 this alkali; and as it is heavy and easily collected at the saw- 

 mills, it might be turned there to auxiliary profitable account, 

 and indeed in many other spots of the ranges. 



A ton of the fresh leaves and branchlets yielded in two 

 analyses 4| Ibs. of pure potash, equal to about double the 

 quantity of the average kinds of pearlash. The three species 

 of eucalypts spontaneously occurring close around Melbourne 

 the red-gum tree (Eucalyptus rostrata) ; the manna-gum tree 

 (Eucalyptus viminalis); the box-gum tree (Eucalyptus mellio- 

 dora) produced nearly 3 Ibs. of pure potash, or about 5 Ibs. of 

 pearlash, from a ton of fresh leaves and branches; while a ton 

 of the wood of the red-gum tree in a dried state gave nearly 

 2 Ibs. weight of pure carbonate of potassa, whereas the wood 

 of the blue-gum tree proved still richer. A ton of the dry 

 wood of the erect sheoak (Casuarina suberosa) furnished the 

 large quantity of 6 Ibs. of pure potash. This result is about 

 equal to that obtainable from the European Lime-tree or 

 Linden-tree, which again is one of the richest of all European 

 trees in this respect. 



Such indications may suffice to draw more fully the atten- 

 tion of forest settlers to an important but as yet latent branch 

 of industry. For further details I refer to elaborate tables of 

 the yield of potash in native trees, as the result from analysis 

 made under my direction by Mr. Chr. Hoffmann, these tabu- 

 lated statements being appended to my departmental report, 

 presented to Parliament in 1869. The wholesale price of the 

 best pearlash is about <3 for the cwt. in Melbourne. 



I wish it distinctly to be understood, that I do not advocate 

 an indiscriminate sacrifice of our forest-trees for any solitary 

 one of its products, such as the potash; because by any such 

 procedure we would still more accelerate the reduction of our 

 woods. On the contrary, good timber, fit for splitting or 

 for the sawmill, ought to be far too precious for potash 

 or tar preparation. But branchwood, bark, roots, crooked 

 stems and even foliage, might well be utilised for this 

 industry, wherever the place is too remote to dispose of 

 this material for fuel. The recommendation carries with 

 it still more weight, if we remember how on many places 

 the close growth of suckers or seedlings has to be thinned 

 to allow of space for the new and unimpaired upgrowth 

 of actual timber; whereas, moreover, now the remnants 



