85 



The ash of the timber of " Huon Pine," Dacrydium Franklini, contained 

 o-i2g per cent, manganese, while that of " Celery Top Pine," Phyllocladus rhom- 

 boidalis contained 0-145 per cent. The timber of " King William Pine," Athro- 

 taxis selaginoides , has a strong resemblance to the " Red- wood " of America, 

 Sequoia sempervirens , and when ignited gave but a small amount of ash, this ash 

 contained o-oig per cent, manganese. 



For comparison the ash of a sample of the " Red-wood," Sequoia sem- 

 pervirens, sent to the Museum from America, was found to contain manganese to 

 the extent of o-oi2 per cent., while a commercial sample of " American Red- 

 wood " obtained from a timber merchant in Sydney, contained 0-077 P^^" cent. 



The following is a tabulated list giving the percentage of manganese in 

 the Australian Coniferae other than Callitris: — 



Ash of timber of Agathis robusta 



Araucaria Cunninghamii 



Araucaria Bidwilli 



A ctinostrobus pyramidalis 



Podocarpus elata 



Dacrydium Franklini 



Athroiaxis selaginoides 



Phyllocladus rhomboidalis 

 Air-dried black gum of Agathis robusta 



,, ,, Araucaria Cunninghamii =0-00^8 



In the barks of both Callitris glauca and C. calcarata the amount of 

 manganese was determined; in that of the former the ash contained 0-03 per 

 cent. Mn. and of the latter species 0-013 P^r cent. In the ash of the bark of 

 Actinostrobus there was o-o6 per cent, manganese. The leaves of the Callitris also 

 contain manganese in small amount, and the ash of the leaves of C. glauca contained 

 0-029 P^^ cent. Mn, while the ash of the leaves of C. robusta gave results 

 which showed that only 0-0012 per cent. Mn. was present. The seeds of 

 C. glauca contained 0-023 per cent. Mn in the ash, while the ash of the seeds of 

 C. calcarata contained 0-029 P^^" cent. Mn. The amount of ash in the seeds of the 

 latter species was 4-14 per cent., so that the Mn in the air-dried seeds was 0-0012 

 per cent. The ash of the capsules (without seeds) of C. glauca contained o-oii 

 per cent, manganese. It is thus apparent that manganese occurs more or less 

 throughout the whole plant substance of Callitris trees, although variable in amount. 



It may be assumed, therefore, that from the consistent occurrence of 

 manganese in all parts of Callitris species, and in fact in all the Coniferce of Australia 

 so far tested, that this element is a necessary constituent towards the production 

 of the most complete growth of these trees. It is also evident that Callitris trees 

 will find manganese if it is possible to do so. Even those Callitris species growing 

 upon such unfavourable soils for manganese as are the Hawkesbury sandstones 



=0 



145 per 



cent. 



Mn 



= 



054 



ij 





= 



077 



) J 





=0 



077 



n 





=0 



002 



i) 





= 



129 



n 





= 



019 



i ) 





=0 



145 



M 





= 



0046 



M 





