12 HG. SMITH. 
for the preparation of the ashes. I need hardly say that I 
have taken full advantage of the resources of the Techno- 
logical Museum. 
The value of the chemical factor in the study of Plants. 
When choosing the subject for this address it appeared to 
me that the time was opportune to review the results so 
far obtained from the phytochemical investigations which 
have formed the principal portion of the research work of 
the Technological Museum during recent years, and 
endeavour to show in what directions these data appear 
to assist the establishment of broad generalisations, the 
correct understanding of which would go far towards 
securing important economic results. 
It is now more than twenty years since my colleague 
(Mr. R. T. Baker, F..s.) and I first commenced our joint 
investigations into the economic possibilities and scientific 
characters of certain groups of the indigenous flora of this 
continent, a study which has been continued to the present 
time. During this period, the chief botanical and chemical 
features—more or less complete—of about 160 distinct 
species of Kucalyptus have been collaterally determined, 
while practically the whole of the coniferous trees of 
Australia have been similarly treated. Besides these 
largersystematic investigations many species of Melaleuca, 
growing in eastern Australia, have been worked in a corres- 
ponding manner, as well as several other species belonging 
to different genera. 
A considerable amount of general evidence in a new 
direction has thus been collected, the consideration of 
which should make it possible to offer some reasonable 
suggestions as to the manner in which certain chemical 
phenomena appear to have influenced the botanical char- 
acters of some of these plants, or at least, to have become 
in contemporaneous agreement with those morphological 
