SOME CAUSES OF THE DECAY OF AUSTRALIAN FORESTS. 8&5 
illustration in the case. In an old sheep-yard near some slate 
to supply the chemical agents to account for the destruction of 
the trees inside the sheep-yards, there was no such supply spread- 
ing uniformly over hundreds and thousands of acres where trees 
had been dying. But upon making inquiry from a man who was 
removing the manure, a very strong doubt arose as to whether it 
was any ‘chemical decoction which burnt and killed the roots of the 
rees. Several inches of sheep manure acted as a close matting 
which prevented both heat and rain from reaching the surface of 
the ground beneath. Thus the cracks made in seasons of drought 
were prevented by this matting from being made ; also, little or 
no rain-water soaked through the thick matting of manure, and 
what did soak through was not received into deep cracks to cir- 
culate about the roots of the trees. From these observations it 
would appear that the few trees in the sheep-yard were dying of 
oe ge than by _ powerful pas appliances at — 
earth about them became as cement, and so they 
seins to Mave perished Peta want of sufficient supply of aqueous 
treason But again, as regards the alleged cause, sheep 
manure, what sata possibly explain a few acres will not 
eiplain: ahah was ‘taking g place in sy to trees over thousands 
of acres. 
6. The white ant.—This destructive creature had made its 
appearance on the other side of the river Leigh about twelve or _ 
fifteen years before 1874. There can be no doubt about: its 
the question—was this the actual agent in the case? Butif there 
be some thousands or millions se white ants devouring a tree, there 
is no need of a powerful micr e to discover them. 
axe is sufficient as an instru ae of investigation. Thousands of 
The axe is applied, some dead trees are cut down, split in pieces, 
their roots are cut up, and a sharp outlook kept for the destructive 
white ant, but no sign of this agent is discovered as doing the work — 
in question. Moreover, in 1872, a woodman was engaged in 
cutting down firewood in the forest, wey inquiry was made of him > 
as to the cause of the decay in the timber. His reply was con- 
clusive that the cause was not-the white ant. His observations 
led him to ascribe the decay, which so many people were pee 
to a blight, which was destroying the leaves. Clearly, the whi 
ant did not supply the oe sought. As to the “ biighee. 
more will transpire regarding it in the sequel. 
