56 On the late Exceptional Season. 



pines and deciduous trees are traversed by extensive never- 

 failing rivers, are provided with constant springs and lakes ; 

 the climate is less variable than that of Australia, droughts 

 less frequent, and floods not so severe, in fact the climate is 

 moderated and ameliorated. 



The Eucalypti, or gum trees, shed their leaves principally 

 during summer, which do not then readily decay, being of 

 a dry, harsh nature, and charged with resinous matter ; but 

 deciduous trees shed their leaves in autumn at a time when 

 bush-fires are not prevalent, during the rainy reason, and 

 therefore, readily decay and produce vegetable soil. The 

 vegetable soil on the ranges here is greatly produced by the 

 decay of tree-ferns. It is questionable whether the leaves 

 of the gum trees respire moisture to the same extent as 

 deciduous trees, the gum leaves being so dry and filled with 

 resin or oil. 



As tree planting, timber producing, and forest conserving 

 is a study worthy of the engineer, much attention is given 

 to it in Europe, and the engineers of woods and forests are 

 there appointed, because drainage is necessary and irrigation 

 in some instances advantageous. Drainage is absolutely 

 necessary to ensure the growth of the tree when young, and 

 it should be borne in mind that if a tree becomes stunted 

 when young it scarcely ever recovers, but either dies or 

 remains a stunted unshapely tree quite unfit for timber. 



I believe Dr. Mueller has recommended the establishing 

 of forest boards in all the districts, similar in constitution 

 to the road and shire boards, and to these the forests of the 

 district should be entrusted, for the purpose of preventing 

 unnecessar}^ destruction of timber, for enriching the forests, 

 and for their future preservation by the proper planting and 

 introduction of fresh and new trees. 



Art. XIX. — On the late Exceptional Season and Frequency 

 of Aitroras. By R. L. J. Ellery, Esq. 



[Bead 12th December, 1870.] 

 The late season, from April last to the present date, has 

 been of so exceptional a character, occurring moreover 

 at one of the sun-spot periods, when our luminary 

 has been labouring under one of his exanthematous 

 paroxysms, when auroras and great disturbances of the 



