LXL E. paniculata Sm. 



In Mr. R. T. Baker's paper, " Some Ironbarks of New South Wales " (Journ. Roy. 

 Soc. N.S.W., ii, 410, 1917), the very important step was taken of spUtting up 

 E. paniculata into three species {E. paniculata Sm., with E. Fergusoni and E. Nanglei 

 proposed as new), because of variation in the timber. It seems to me that the 

 proposals add to the worries of both botanists and timbermen. 



Variation in colour of timbers. — Mr. Baker (oj). cit., pp. 410-413) discusses the 

 matter of variation in Ironbark timbers, and following are some of his observations. 

 Thus, p. 410, " Under what has been commonly known as E. paniculata, it was found 

 that several feimci [my italics] timbers occur . . . ." Although he subsequently 

 refers to other differences, they are vague, and his chief emphasis is in regard to colour. 



In p. 412 '■ . . . . my experience .... is that Eucalyptus timber 

 variations are not great wherever grown, especially colour of timbers, certainly not 

 in a range of several colours." 



In p. 413 we have " . . . . four distinct timbers, and .... it is 

 difficult to admit that so wide a range of colours and qualities can exist under one 

 species . . . . '" '"If four distinct woods are to be placed under the same 

 species-name, then it will be the exception to the rule of constancy [my itahcs] that 

 I have so far found to obtain in our timbers." He then proceeds to take " the white, 

 grey or light chocolate coloured timber as the type jMniculata, then apart from other 

 characters we have remaining, a deep chocolate timber, a pink timber, and a deep red 

 one, for which names are required, and it is now proposed to give those specific rank." 



So that the reasons for separating E. Fergusoni and E. Nanglei are based on 

 differences in (1) timber, (2) " other characters," and we \vill consider these separately. 



The coloured photographs of timber accompanying Mr. Baker's paper probably 

 do not do his sections justice, but I see no great difficulty in placing those attributed 

 to E. Fergusoni and E. Nanglei with E. paniculata, so far as colours are concerned. 



The Rev. Dr. WooUs, in the letter quoted to me at p. 238, speaks of the variation 

 of timber according to age, and also to the soil. We do not know, except in very general 

 terms, the amount of variation in colour and other physical characters omng to 

 environment. 



I shall further deal with this matter of colour when I come to treat Eucalyptus 

 timbers in general. It is a very difficult subject, for hardly two authorities describe 

 the colour of a particular species in the same way. 



S.chlich {Manual of Forestry, v, 59) classifies '"' healthy, freshly-cut woods " of 

 about twenty British and exotic timbers imder the headings yellowish-white, bright 

 yellow, greyish-yellow, brownish-yellow, reddish, reddish-bro^vn, golden-brown, dark 

 brown, black. He includes no Eucalypts. 



