83 
Some causes of the decay of the Australian 
orests. 
By the Rev. Peter MacPuerson, M.A. 
[Read before the Royal Society of N.S. W., & August, 1885.] 
THE traveller by train from Geelong in Victoria to Ballaarat 
passes through a great extent of forest. In the year 1874 he 
would notice a large number — the tall white skeletons of trees 
which had been growing luxuriantly on the banks of Bruce’s 
Creek, the “‘ Muddy Waterholes” of the early days of the Colony. 
Approaching Meredith the character of the forest changes, the 
prevailing species of tree being much smaller. A little distance 
beyond Meredith, in a space bounded by two shallow valleys, large 
vechronis of trees were to be seen dying and dead in the year alrea 
specified. The progress of decay the writer watched for twelve years, 
1862-74. It had advanced for some miles from the Woodbourne 
and Cargerie Creeks till it reached the railway line. The cause of 
decay was the occasion of frequent speculations and suggestions. 
In these circumstances the writer resolved to avail himself of his 
opportunities for a if possible, which of numerous 
alleged causes was the tru 
1. Flat, wet ground. ee of the suggestions made to explain 
the cause of so many forest trees decaying and dying was, that 
growing on flat land, i water lodged for a jong time, the trees 
were drowned. That such a result would ta e place in certain 
circumstances may be r sally granted. few observations, how- 
ever, afforded salisluaee proof that the explanation sought was not 
yet found, for on the slopes of the Cargerie and Woodbourne 
Creeks the trees were dying, although no water lodged perma- 
nently ous their roots ; while on the very flat land, extending 
westward from the railway line about Meredith, the trees were 
not dying, although in wet ony they might be described as 
Pie an, for months in the w 
2. sons of drought. ae. seasons of drought prolonged 
indefinitely — destroy whole forests need not be questioned for 
b 
& moment. again, obse a made the result clear that = 
such drought as hed been in operation in the district was not the 
se which was destroying so man re ‘here w: patent 
ying 
there were within a few hundred yards « of them multitudes not 
