191 



III. TIMBER. 



(Continued from Part LIU. p. 103.) 



MICROSCOPIC STRUCTURE. 



Timbers in transverse, radial and tangential sections are dealt with by the 

 microscopist. 



The work of preparing and microscopically examining sections is one speeially 

 adapted to the laboratory, and it is to be hoped that many thousands will be examined, 

 giving the particulars, omitted so far in many cases, of place of origin, size, &c, and 

 reference to corresponding herbarium specimens, in order that the section may be 

 standardised. The day is past when we should be expected (in any set record of 

 results) to receive the bare statement from any man, however eminent, that a certain 

 timber belongs to a certain species, without details as indicated above. To be baldly 

 told that a certain timber belongs to E. corymbosa, for example, simply indicates 

 generalities, whereas the provision of details would convey a more definite idea than 

 it does at present. We are in the early research stage yet, and shall be for many 

 years. In Europe this preliminary stage has passed, as regards some timbers, but 

 the structure of the vast majority (even including many which are often referred to 

 in books) is unknown, so that we in Australia are in good company. 



Following are some references to work on the microscopy of Eucalyptus timbers ; 

 in research of this kind I do not doubt that many private workers have done work that 

 has not been made public. 



1859. — At the meetings of the Microscopic Section of the Philosophical Society 

 of Xew South Wales, at least as early as 1S59, microphotos and sections of Eucalyptus 

 timbers were exhibited by various members. I take this note from the minutes, and 

 hope that the exhibitors worked at determined material. Their photographs must 

 have been amongst the earliest of the kind. I have vainly endeavoured to trace these 

 specimens or further particulars. 



1861. — H. Xordlinger. a professor of Forestry, first at Hohenheim, Germany, 

 and subsequently at Tubingen, published between 1856 and 1888, eleven small boxes 

 (i x oi inches, inside measurement), each containing 100 timber sections ready for 

 the microscope, with explanatory notes. The Australian material was supplied by 

 Mueller, but out of the 1,100 specimens, there were only nine of Eucalyptus, viz. : — ■ 

 E. corymbosa and E. paniculata in box or vol. iii (1861). 

 E. globulus and E. rostrata hi box vi (1874); and 



E. macrorrhyncha, E. coriacea. E. rudis. E. robusta, and E, Stuartiqna in box xi 

 (1888). 



