foY the year 1866. 119 



thickness of those seams of coal alread}^ discovered, and also 

 whether there are not others of better qnalit}^ existing in 

 the neighbourhLOod. 



The Botanical department, so ably conducted by one of 

 onr members, Dr. Ferdinand Mueller, claims a place in our 

 notice of scientific progTCSs. By his continuation of local 

 phytographical researches, Dr. Mueller has afforded to the 

 president of the Linnsean Society the necessary aid for 

 writing the third volume of the universal work on 

 Australian plants. The Fragmenta Phytographice Austra- 

 lice, which have from time to time been presented to our 

 society as they issued from the press, have now reached to the 

 fifth volume. The Hortits Siccus of the Botanical Museum 

 has received an important addition in the original typical 

 collection of the late James Drimimond, of Swan River, 

 whose researches for over twenty years have familiarized 

 botanists with the flora of the south-west portion of this 

 continent. 



The addition of a laboratory to the Botanical department, 

 for pui-poses of chemical and technological inquiiy into the 

 value of various vegetable products in the colony, is a step 

 in the right direction. There is ample field for such 

 research, and I hope our Society will duly be made 

 acquainted with the results of these inquiries. It will 

 be interesting to you to know that Dr. Mueller has 

 now succeeded in raising a large nmnber of the cinchona 

 or Peruvian bark trees, as Avell as plants of ginger 

 and arrowi'oot, and others of great commercial value, 

 during the last year. He is now prepared to commence 

 plantations of these in fitting parts of our mountain lands, 

 as soon as the necessary financial aid shall be afforded. 



The importance of estabhshing plantations of the cin- 

 chona cannot be well over-estimated, for the indiscriminate 

 stripping of the trees in the South American forests, com- 



