166 Select Plants for Industrial Culture and 



journeys. The leaves might also be kept available on board of 

 ships, to sustain strength in severe trials of sea-life, The plant is 

 fie for dry frostless climes. Succeeds well in Natal [J. M. Wood]. 

 According to Mr. Gr. Peppe it can be multiplied readily from cut- 

 tings. An enormous quantity is annually collected and sold. The 

 leaves have lately come also into use for a liqueur. Mr. Christy 

 mentions the use of the leaves for counteracting the effect of 

 opium ; they seem also to prevent sea-sickness. Recommended 

 recently as an antidote to snake-poison. The moderate "Consump- 

 tion of this plant seems to leave no ill effect. The Peruvians mix 

 the leaves with the forage of mules, to increase their power of 

 enduring fatigue. A good harvest produces about 900 Ibs. 011 an 

 acre [Dr. Weddell]. The total annual production is about 

 40,000,000 Ibs., valued at 2,000,000 [Dyer] all consumed in 

 South-America. Whether any of the many other species of 

 Erythroxylon possesses similar properties in the same proportion 

 has as yet only been partially ascertained. 



Eucalyptus Abergiana, F. v. Mueller. 



Northern Queensland. A stately tree, with unusually spreading 

 branches of dense foliage. The quality of its timber has remained 

 hitherto unknown, but the species will probably prove one of the 

 most suitable among its congeners for tropical countries. 



Eucalyptus amygdalina, La Billardiere.* 



South-Eastern Australia. Vernacularly known as Brown and 

 White Peppermint-tree, Giant -Grumtree and as one of the Swamp- 

 Grumtrees. In sheltered springy forest-glens attaining exceptionally 

 to a height of over 400 feet, there forming a smooth stem and broad 

 leaves, producing also seedlings of a foliage different from the 

 ordinary form of E. amygdalina, which occurs in more open country, 

 and has small narrow leaves and a rough brownish bark. The 

 former species or variety, which has been called Eucalyptus reg- 

 nans, represents probably the loftiest tree on the globe. Mr. J. 

 Hollo of Tarragon measured a tree,which was 410 feet high. Another 

 tree in the Cape Ot way -ranges was found to be 415 feet high and 

 15 feet in diameter, where cut in felling, at a considerable height 

 above the ground. Another tree measured 69 feet in circumference 

 at the base of the stem ; at 12 feet from the ground it had a diameter 

 of 14 feet ; at 78 feet a diameter of 9 feet ; at 144 feet a diameter 

 of 8 feet, and at 210 feet a diameter of 5 feet. Other trees are 

 known with a stem-circumference of 66 feet at 5 feet from the 

 ground. Prof. Wilson and Colonel Ellery obtained at Mount Sabine 

 a measurement of 21 feet 8 inches in diameter of a stem, where cut, 

 the length being 380 feet. Colonel Ellery had repeatedly reports 

 of trees seven axe-handles in diameter, and he met a tree on Mount 

 Disappointment with a stem diameter of 33 feet at about 4 feet from 

 the ground. Similar colossal dimensions are recorded from Tas- 

 mania ; indeed Tasman's carpenter was already astonished at the 

 hugeness of the trees there. J The wood is fissile, well adapted for 

 shingles, rails, staves, inner building-material and many other 



