Is the Eucalyptus a Fever-destroying Tree t 19 



the other products peculiarly of eucalyptic origin ; and for 

 the following reasons — that those species which are great in 

 the production of oil, supply it vigorously to the atmosphere, 

 giving but little time for the formation of substances such as 

 resins and acids, requiring the absorption of oxygen by the 

 leaf to form them. On the other hand, those species less 

 vigorous in oil production, allow time for the purpose, hence 

 they become well stored with resin and with the acid. 



We come now to consider the extent of this vegetation. 



First, in Victoria. The whole colony, to quote from 

 Mr. Skene's report to the Commissioners of the Exhibition 

 of 1861, consists of 55,644,000 acres, tabulated as follows : 



Dense mallee scrub - - 5,560,000 acres. 



Mountainous ranges, densely 



wooded with gums - 6,225,000 



Opened timbered country - 38,922,000 

 Leaving for open plains devoid 



of timber - - 4,470,000 



For morasses, lakes, and 



lagoons - - - 402,000 



And for tea tree scrub melaleuca 65,000 



First — the mallee. The area* of 50 square feet of average 

 scrub yields at its maximum one gallon or eight pints of oil. 

 The whole of these dwarf eucalypts consequently retain in 

 their leaves at one time, 4,843,872,000 gallons. 



Second — Mountain ranges densely wooded with gum, i.e., 

 chiefly consisting of red gum, blue gum, stringy bark, white 

 gum, and iron bark. The area of 1000 square feet supplies 

 one gallon or eight pints of oil. The whole of this 

 vegetation, therefore, retains in its leaves at its maximum 

 271,161,000 gallons. 



Third — Open timbered country. Taking this as containing 

 all the other exogense of Victoria, we may safely assess it as 

 containing one-fourth of the eucalypti. Averaging every four 

 acres as supplying one gallon, we have 9,730,500 gallons of oil. 

 In other words, the desert species contains 4,843,872,000 

 gallons, and the seaward species 280,891,000 gallons. 



If we now take into consideration the extent of the 

 mallee country in the territory of New South Wales and 

 South Australia — the exact area I have not at present at 



* The area here given is extremely liberal, as in some parts it gave 



two gallons. 



c 2 



