118 SELECT PLANTS FOR INDUSTRIAL CULTURE 



circumference at 5 feet from the ground up to 17 feet. The wood 

 has come into use for fence-posts and railway-sleepers. Its dura- 

 bility is attested by the fact that posts fifteen years in the ground 

 showed no sign of decay. The tree thrives even well on dry iron- 

 stone ranges. It does not exude any saccharine substance (Meli- 

 tose) like E. viminalis. The base of the trunk swells out some- 

 times in regular tiers. The sweetish foliage attracts cattle and 

 sheep, who browse on the foliage of lower branches, saplings and 

 seedlings, unlike to what occurs with almost any other kind of 

 Eucalypts (J. E. Brown). In culture the writer did not find this 

 species of very quick growth. 



Eucalyptus crebra, F. v. Mueller.* 



The Narrow -leaved Ironbark-tree of New South Wales and 

 Queensland. Wood reddish, hard, heavy, elastic and durable ; 

 much used in the construction of bridges and for railway-sleepers, 

 also for waggons, piles, fencing, &c. A lemon-scented tree, perhaps 

 a variety of this species, from North-East Australia, brought under 

 notice by Mr. F. M. Bailey, has a perfume and flavour so excellent 

 as to serve as a table-condiment. E. leptophleba and E. drepano- 

 phylla are closely allied species of similar value. They all exude 

 a stringent gum-resin in considerable quantity, resembling kino in 

 appearance and property. 



Eucalyptus diversicolor, F. v. Mueller.* (E. colossea, F. v. M.) 



The Karri of South- West Australia. A colossal tree, exceptionally 

 reaching the height of 400 feet, with a proportionate girth of the 

 stem. Mr. Muir measured stems about 300 feet long without a 

 branch ; widths of timber of as much as 12 feet can be obtained. 

 Furnishes good timber for ship- and boat-planks, particularly for 

 masts, likewise for wheels ; also valuable for shafts, spokes, felloes, 

 fence-rails ; it is elastic and durable, but not so easily wrought as 

 that of E. marginata. Its strength in tran verse strain is equal 

 to English oak. Fair progress of growth is shown by the 

 young trees, planted even in dry exposed localities in Melbourne. 

 The shady foliage and quick growth of the tree promise to render it 

 one of our best for avenues. In its native localities it occupies 

 fertile, rather humid valleys, and represents there the E. amyg- 

 dalina var. regnans of South-East Australia in habit. 



Eucalyptus Doratoxylon, F. v. Mueller. 



The Spear- Wood of South-west Australia, where it occurs in sterile 

 districts. The stem is slender and remarkably straight, and the 

 wood of such firmness and elasticity that the nomadic natives 

 wander long distances to obtain it as a material for their spears. 



