434 



Reedy Creek, near Hill Top, extends for about 6 miles with branches 

 and gullies in each direction, ranging from about i^ to 3 miles long, in all about 

 20 miles, while the width varies from about 8 chains to 20 chains. The hills 

 surrounding this valley are rocky and precipitous, but the district is well suited 

 for the growth of this Eucalypt, country apparently of little use for any other 

 purpose. At the time of our visit innumerable seedlings of this species were 

 springing up in all directions. 



Reedy Creek is a type of locality not uncommon in the mountain 

 ranges of New South Wales, where oil-producing species, such as this, could be 

 conserved most advantageously as natural plantations, so that a permanency 

 of leaf material might be secured in the most economical manner. 



THE MALLEES. 



Eucalyptus species, however, do not all grow to a large size, the " Malices " 

 more particularly, and, for the reasons mentioned above, this shrubby growth is 

 perhaps more useful for oil distillation than are the bigger species ; besides several 

 of the " Malices " produce excellent cineol oils. 



In certain portions of New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, or, 

 as a matter of fact, Australia generally, a considerable area of the country is 

 covered with this shrubby Eucalyptus growth, which is known in Australia as 

 " Mallee scrub." Several species occur in this " Mallee Belt," such as E. poly- 

 bractea, E. oleosa, E. Morrisii, E. dumosa, E. Behriana, E. viridis, E. cneorifolia, 

 . &c., all of which have the form and growth peculiar to the " Mallees," that is 

 several stems springing from one root.* These species are usually found 

 intermixed, some growing in one locality and some in another, but all have the 

 same general appearance. 



One of the best of the " Mallee " species, for oil distillation, is E. 

 polybractea, known in -Victoria as " Silver leaf Mallee," and in New South Wales 

 as " Blue Mallee." In the Wyalong district of the latter State, as well as in the 

 Inglewood district of Victoria, E. polybractea is extensively exploited for its 

 oil, and much of the richer cineol Eucalyptus oil forwarded to Europe and 

 America during the last few years has been derived from that Eucalypt. 

 In South Australia, at Kangaroo Island, the species employed is E. cneorifolia, 

 chiefly. 



In the Wyalong district a considerable area of country is covered with 

 " Mallee," and in some portions E. polybractea is present to the extent of from 

 40 to 50 per cent, of the total Eucalyptus growth. The material from the older 

 trees of the " Blue Mallee " is not so useful for oil production as the younger 

 growth, one reason being the yield of oil is not so great, and in order to secure 

 an abundance of new leaf various devices have been adopted. One method is 

 to employ a heavy roller and with this crush down the_ whole of the natural 

 growth of the " Mallee Scrub." When the broken-down material becomes dry 

 enough it is burnt off, all vegetation upon the ground being destroyed in the fire, 

 but in a few weeks the young growth commences to appear in abundance, 

 springing from the buried nodular root masses of the " Mallee," and in twelve 

 to eighteen months is ready to be cut for oil distillation. 



The abundance of new growth of the characteristic silvery leaf of this 

 species, after this treatment, makes quite a pretty picture in the landscape, and 

 is quite distinctive from the young growth of the other species. 



* Photographs showing this form of growth will be found under E. oleosa, E. polybractea, and other 



species known as " Mallees." 



