Naturalisation in Extra- Tropical Countries. 27$ 



Xffedicagro scutellata, J. Bauhin.* 



Countries at and near the Mediterranean Sea, where this annual 

 herb, as well as the allied M. orbicularis (Allioni), is regarded as a 

 valuable fodder-plant [Caruel], without the disadvantage of their 

 fruits adhering to fleeces like those of prickly-fruited congeners. 

 For this particulalar reason the author introduced these two plants 

 into Australia, where in the dry hot inland -regions they have sur- 

 passed most other fodder- herbs in value and resistance to drought, 

 and wherever these get naturalised, they become a great boon to 

 pasture-lands ; in the moist season they afford herbage ; in the dry 

 season sheep and other pasture-animals will resort to the copiously 

 shed fruits scattered on the ground. Both will also bear some 

 frost, and are rurally known as kinds of " Snail-Clovers." 



BXelaleuca ericifolia, Smith.* 



South Eastern Australia. A tall shrub or bushy tree. It 

 spreads to a length of 3 feet, sometimes rising to 40 feet. It is of 

 importance for consolidating muddy shores ; it will live in salty 

 ground and water, almost like mangroves. I found it growing 

 vigorously, where the water contained rather more than 2 per cent, 

 chlorides, and the wet soil contained nearly If per cent, chlorides 

 (the contents of sea-water being from 3 to 4 per cent, chlorides, or 

 about 2|- per cent, chloride of natrium). It yields also a com- 

 paratively large quantity of cajaput-oil. It admits of easy trans- 

 plantation, even when full-grown. Myoporum insulare (B. Brown) 

 and Leptospermum lanigerum (Aiton) can in like manner be used 

 in tree-plantations for the sake of shelter on wet saline soil. The 

 branches of M. ericifolia furnish the best native material in South- 

 Eastern Australia for easily worked and lasting garlands. This 

 species can be grown in swamps for hygienic purposes by subduing 

 paludal malaria or fever-provoking effluvia. Growth to 26 feet 

 height in nine years. 



Melaleuca g-enistifolia, Smith. 



Northern and Eastern Australia. A tree, attaining 40 feet in 

 height, flowering in a shrubby state already, fond of banks of 

 water-courses. The copious flowers, according to Mr. C. French, 

 attract bees to an extraordinary degree. 



IWCelaleuca Xieucadendron, Linne. 



The Cajaput-tree of India, North- and East- Australia as far 

 extra-tropical as 34 south latitude. Perhaps amenable to gradual 

 acclimitation ; in Australia it will bear slight frost. This tree 

 attains a height of about 80 feet, with a stem reaching 4 feet in 

 diameter, on tidal ground ; it can with great advantage be utilized 

 on such areas and in salt-swamps for subduing malarian vapors, 

 where no Eucalyptus will live. The lamellar bark protects it 

 against conflagrations. The wood is fissile, hard and close -grained, 



