THE EUCALYPTUS TREE. 107 



Australasia, in which New Zealand is included, can 

 present a greater and more beautiful variety of ferns 

 than any other part of the world. The variety in- 

 cludes many hundreds.. 



We visited the Horticultural Gardens of Auckland, 

 Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Geelong, and Ballarat, 

 besides having an opportunity, to some extent, to see 

 them in their native condition. 



Although for general building purposes the forests 

 of Australia are not equal to those of Canada, for 

 bridges and foundation work, where strength and en- 

 durance are demanded, the woods of the former coun- 

 try are equal, if not superior, to those of the latter. 



THE EUCALYPTUS TEEE. 



The prevailing wood of Australia is the eucalyptus, 

 of which there are many varieties, some say over one 

 hundred. The " white gum," " red gum," and " shelly 

 bark " are the larger kinds. Some of these grow to 

 an immense size and height. One mighty giant mea- 

 sured, when prostrate, four hundred and eighty feet. 

 Trees three hundred feet high are very common in 

 the Gippsland country (eastern part of Victoria). 

 These trees all exude a kind of gum (hence the name 

 " gum," so largely applied to them), such as may fre- 

 quently be seen upon a cherry or plum tree. 



