384 



NATURAL HYBRIDS' 



(See Part LIII, p. 107.) 



; E. affims, E. hybrida, E. Peacockeana: 



The Artificial Production of Vigorous Trees by Hybridisation. 

 Effect of Rapidity of Growth on Timber.) 



At Part XIT, p. 97, I refer to a tree collected by the late Mr. J. E. Came at Copeton, 

 parish of Dingo, not far from Tingha, county of Murchison, New South Wales, in 1909. 



In 1912 Mr. Forest Guard Lance B. Peacocke found the same plant, and furnished 

 additional specimens and particulars. It is a tree with a Box-bark, known locally 

 as " White Ironbark " or " Peppermint." It has a long, straight, sound barrel; timber 

 rather pale in colour, is a free splitter and an excellent milling timber. It is scarce; 

 he has not seen it growing abundantly anywhere ; in fact, he has not seen much of it 

 except in the locality mentioned. 



Having given further attention to the specimens, I attribute them to E. affinis, 

 a species which partakes of the characters of E. Caleyi and E. albens. It is not quite 

 typical, but its paler timber of good quality removes it further from E. Caleyi. 



When referring to E. hybrida under " Seedlings" (not yet published), I draw 

 attention to the fact that on the evidence of the seedlings, it does not appear possible 

 that the species can have E. paniculata and E. hemipldoia for its parents. As there 

 seemed to be a good deal of evidence as to the origin suggested, the incident will make 

 a botanist careful in regard to such surmises. 



CCCI1I. x E. Peacockeana, Maiden. 



(See Part LIII, p. 113.) 



Following are additional particulars concerning this reputed natural hybrid, 

 from Mr. Lance B. Peacocke :— 



I forward you further specimens of E. Peacockeana, collected about 3 miles east of Nullamanna 

 (a township 11 miles north of Inverell) in the parish of Nullamanna, county of Airawatta. All the above 

 are from one and the same tree, which apparently does not differ from the Elsmore specimen previously 

 forwarded. This species appears to flourish in rich alluvial black soil flats, as well as in the hard trappean 

 formations, a most unusual feature in Ironbarks. The tree from which the specimens now forwarded 

 were gathered was growing in black basaltic alluvial on the fringe of a trap ridge, upon which stands a 

 orest of E. erebra;- the species immediately surrounding it was E. melliodora, with E. albens in the near 

 vicinity. 



