82 A USTRALIAN BOTANY. 



head to an altitude of nearly four hundred feet, towering far 

 above the native beech (Fagus Cunniftgkami), 1 whose dense, 

 dark foliage, in contrast with the bright green of the fronds 

 of the tree-ferns, presents a charming picture. Conspicuous 

 during a ramble in such places are the sassafras (Athero- 

 sperma mosc/iafa), cheesewood {Pittosporum bicolor), 

 Victorian plumwood (Notelcza ligustrind), native holly 

 (Lomatia Fraseri), silver wattle (Acacia dealbata), native 

 cherry {Exocarpus cupressiformis), smooth holly (Afyrsine 

 variabilis)^ Victorian laurel (JPittosporum undulatum\ hazel 



of his interesting lectures, — ' The application of Phytology to the 

 Industrial Purposes of Life,' — delivered on the 3rd November 1870, 

 says : ' An idea of forest value may be formed when we enter on some 

 calculation of the supply of timber or other products available from one 

 of our largest Eucalyptus trees. Suppose one of the colossal Eucalyptus 

 amygdalina at the Black Spur was felled, and its total height 

 ascertained to be 4S0 feet, its circumference towards the base of 

 the stem 81 feet, its lower diameter 26 feet, and at the height 

 of 300 feet its diameter 6 feet. Suppose only half the available 

 wood was cut into planks twelve inches in width, we would get, 

 in the terms of the timber trade, 426,720 superficial feet, at one inch 

 thickness, sufficient to cover 9§ acres. The same bulk of wood cut 

 into railway sleepers 6 feet X 6 inches X 8 inches, would yield in 

 number 17,780. Not less than a length of twenty-three miles of three- 

 rail fencing, including the necessary posts, could be constructed. It 

 would require a ship of about 1000 tonnage to convey the timber and 

 additional firewood of half the tree; and 666 drayloads, at \\ tons, 

 would thus be formed to remove half the wood. The essential oil 

 obtainable from the foliage of the whole tree may be" estimated at 

 31 lbs. ; the charcoal, suppose there was loss of wood, 17,950 bushels ; 

 the crude vinegar, 227,269 gallons ; the potash, 2 tons 11 cwt. But 

 how many centuries elapsed before undisturbed nature could build 

 up, by the subtle processes of vitality, these huge and wondrous 

 structures ? ' 



1 This tree is often called by the settlers ' myrtle,' though it belongs 

 to the order Cupuliferce. In New South Wales and Queensland the 

 Eugenia Smithii and Eugenia myrtifolia are call e d myrtle, lillypillies, 

 and native rose apple. 



