^S SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 



Eiiealvptus. Of the existing 120 species, 110 have been examined. In one 

 no essential oil was discovered, and in nine instances the specimens were 

 not sufficient for examination. In the others the composition of the 

 essential oils from any particular species was always found to be 

 constant independent of the habit of the plant. This constancy of the 

 chemical constituents has been used as an important means of 

 identification of the many doubtful species in this complicated group of 

 plants. It was also found that while the value of the official oil is 

 usually understood to depend on its euealyptol content, so far nothing 

 very certain is known as to which is therapeutically the most important 

 constituent. 



The Balata tree, which grows abundantly on the upper reaches of 

 the Amazon is rej^orted to be capable of furnishing an unlimited supply 

 of gutta-percha at a fraction of the cost of rubber. 



Geological Section. 



Los Angeles, Cal., May 25th, 1903. 



The Geological Section met at the Woman's Club Eooms at S p. m. 

 Chairman Geo. W. Parson called the meeting to order. Minutes of 

 previous meeting were read and approved. 



The Chairman introduced Mr. F. C. Crosby of Washington, D. C, who 

 gave a very interesting description of earthquakes, and also report of 

 an inspection of the ruins of Pompeii, which has been uncovered, and 

 a brief history of the several voleanos around that section of the 

 Mediterranean Sea. 



A vote of thanks was tendered him for his very interesting lecture. 

 The Chairman announced that the Academy would have a vacation for 

 two months. 



G. MA.IOE TABOR, Secretary. 



Dr. W. L. Jepson of the Department of Botany of the University 

 of California and A. V. Arnold of the Department of Agriculture will 

 conduct a course of Lectures on Forestry at Idyllwild, San Jacinto 

 mountains, California, from July 29 to Augiist 10. 



The course will consist of ten lectures by each of the instructors from 

 the L'niversity, m addition to any that Mr. Pinchot can be prevailed upon 

 to give. Dr. Jepson will treat the subject from a botanical standpoint, 

 explaining and illustrating the biology of trees, with special reference 

 to their life-history and botanical character; he will also describe the 

 trees and forests of California. Professor Stubenrauch will deal with the 

 economy of forests, their uses and abuses, silvicultural methods and 

 problems of afforestation and reforestation. The lectures will all be of 

 a popular nature, and will be fully illustrated by means of charts and 

 lantern slides, as well as by the materials at hand, as found in the 

 forests surrounding Idyllwild. As opportunity may atford, excursions 

 will be -made into the local forests. 



