226^ ''"^'^ TICTOBIAX NATURALIST. [Tel. XTXIII. 



The timber of many species was spoken of in high 

 praise by Mr. Lees. The red-gum {E. rostrata), of which 

 a grove of a few acres was discovered in the vicinity of ■ 

 the camp, perhaps, occupies first place, on account of its 

 wonderful durability, which is only rivalled by the West 

 Australian jarrah {E. marginata). So great have been 

 the demands on red-gum for fence-posts, foundations of ' 

 wooden structures, bridges, and shipping piers, that it is 

 becoming scarcer everv year; and one cannot help feeling, 

 both with regard to this and other timbers which will be 

 presently mentioned, that it is a great pity that a more 

 satisfactorv system of forest cons.ervation has not been 

 adopted in order to save our timber areas for the future 

 as well as the present benefit of the community. 



Blue-gum {E. globulus) is very valuable for the under- 

 carriage of vehicles and in any position where strength 

 combined with elasticity and durability is necesjsary. 

 This tree requires deep rich soil and abundant rainfall, 

 and flourishes in such localities as Cape Otway Forest and 

 Tasmania. The few artificially-planted specimens in the 

 neighbourhood were seen to be sickly, owing to unsuita- 

 bility of soil. Numerous, other eucalypts were mentioned, 

 e.g., iron-bark {E. leucoxylon), yellow box {E. mellio- 

 dord), stringv-bark {E. macrorrhynchd) ^ messmate {E. 

 oMiqua), and peppermint {E. amygdalina), the tallest 

 tree in the world. Their uses were briefly enumerated. 



The tea-tree {Leptosfennum IcBvigatiim), on account of 

 its gnarled and twisted trunk, is of little use as timber, 

 but is splendid for fuel, and much sought after by bakers 

 for heating their ovens. It is extremely useful as a break- 

 wind along the coast, and as a sand-binder. 



The next tree met with belonged to the she-oak family. 

 The name she-oak is a most misleading one, for the tree 

 bears not the slightest resemblance to an oak, and the 

 timber is only similar in having prominent " silver grain " 

 (medullary rays). On a cross-section being made, these 

 were seen radiating from the pith to the barklike spokes 

 in a wheel. They are present in all trees, though not 

 always visible to the naked eye. The botanical name for 

 she-oak is Casuarina, from the resemblance of the foliage 

 to the plumage of the cassowary {L. Casuarius). The 

 apparent leaves were found to be branchlets at whose 

 joints a whorl of very minute rudimentary leaves was 

 seen. These branchlets perform the^ function of 

 leaves, and are of course coloured green with chlorophyll. 



