207 



not on the Cambewarra Mountain. Proceding north, a few trees may be 

 found in the brushes about Otford, Lilydale, &c., but I have not seen any. 

 It skips the Sydney district and reappears in the Brisbane Water district, 

 being cut at the present time, though to a small extent (as good trees are in 

 almost inaccessible localities), about Wyong Creek, Cooranbong, &c. Then 

 it is found here and there along the coast, but nowhere very plentifully. 

 There is a good deal back from the Bellinger and Coff's Harbour. It occurs 

 all through the Big Scrub, on the Richmond and Brunswick, andi also in. 

 isolated patches of scrub on the Tweed. It is not a plentiful tree; it 

 nowhere appears to be gregarious, but in isolated trees, far apart. 



Following are a few specific notes : — 



Kever plentiful in my district; only a few trees left in very rugged places. 

 (Forester Martin, Gosford.) 

 One or two saplings only iu my district. (Forester A. Rudder, Booral.) 



It is found on Tallowak Mountain (back of Failford), also at John's 

 Eiver, and at Pappinbarra Creek, 40 miles back from Port Macquarin. 

 This timber is getting so scarce that notes of localities from which it is 

 obtained at the present time are interesting. Lattice-laths of beech were 

 being cut at Laurieton. — (J.H.M.) 



Sparsely distributed tliroughout the brush portion of my district. Large 

 quantities have been removed from this district years ago, particularly from 

 the Allgomera Forests and the I'pper Nambucca ; but not much remains in 

 easily accessible districts. Probably from 20,000 to 40,000 feet might be readily 

 obrained at an advanced price. (Forester MacDonald, Kempsey.) 

 Very little iu my immediate locality. (G. M. SlfKeown, Wollongbar.'y 

 A few trees are to lie found on Reserves 4,353 and 10,723, county Rous ; 

 ]-i,l.'^0, coujity Buller; 1,120, counties Rous and Buller ; on Crown lands. Hay- 

 stack and Watershed between Koreela and Beaury Creeks, county BuUeV. 

 (J'orester Crowley, Casino.) 



Propagation. — From the fruits (beech-nuts). Unfortunately, however, 

 they are usually attacked by an insect as they approach maturity, and this, 

 combined with the natural hardness of the seed, renders propagation of the 

 Beech usually a difficult mattter. This is to be regretted, as one see o 

 few seedlings and saplings of the White Beech coming- forward in the 

 brushes. The tree, therefore, is within measurable distance of extermina- 

 tion in readily accessible localities. It would be nothing less than a national 

 calamity if this valuable tree were to practically die out. In most cases 

 our trees propagate themselves readily, and what is chiefly required is to 

 conserve the young growth, not to make artificial plantings ; but in t^e case 

 of the White Beech, I think an exception should be made, and artificial 

 propagation resorted to in suitable localities. Indian Teak seeds are very 

 similar to White Beech seeds, and indeed the two trees are closely allied, 

 botauically. Both seeds take a long time to germinate under ordinary 

 circumstances. The method of preparing Teak seeds for germination in 

 India is to bury heaps of them in a shallow earthen pit which is covered 

 over with soil and kept moist. When the seeds begin to germinate they are 

 opened out and carefully planted. 



EXrr.AXATION OF PLATE 33. i 



A. Corolla, opened out, showing didynamous stamens. 



i:. Exterior of corolla. 



c. Pistil, showing unequally two-lobed stigma. 



n. Stamen, with diverging anther-cells. 



E. Stamen, the anther discharging pollen. 



F. Fruits. 



G. Putamen (stone of seed), the mesocarp (succulent part) removed. 



