OCCURRENCE OF ALUMINIUM SUCCINATE IN TREES. 115 
naturally arises, therefore, as to why aluminium is used by 
Orites excelsa and not by Grevillea robusta, or other allied 
plants. It might be expected that the solvent action of 
the butyric acid in the sap would be equal in both cases. 
Is it that the iso-form is present in the sap of G. robusta? 
The formation of succinic acid determines the form in 
Orites excelsa, as it must be the normal acid CH;°CH.’CH.’ 
COOH. 
~ When the analysis of the ash of the Queensland sample 
had been completed, it became necessary to confirm the 
extraordinary results by the investigation of other samples. 
In the Museum collections there were three specimens of 
the timber of Orites excelsa, obtained from various locali- 
ties in New South Wales. Two of these timber specimens 
had been forwarded by the Museum collector (Mr. W. 
Baiierlen) from Bangalow and from Mullimbimby in the 
northern part of the State; the other specimen had been 
collected by Mr. J. H. Maiden, F.L.s., at the Dorrigo Forest 
Reserve, also in northern New South Wales. 
In the ash of all these samples, alumina was present in 
large quantities. It is also worthy of note that in the ash 
of the sample from Mullimbimby, cobalt was found, and 
when separated from the manganese present, a splendid 
cobalt-blue borax bead was obtained. From the analyses 
it appears that the alumina in the ash of normal specimens 
of this tree ranges between 35% and 45%; the tendency, 
however, seems to be for the tree to absorb much more 
than that amount of alumina, even up to 807%. When this 
excessive amount of alumina is present, the conditions are 
evidently favourable for the formation of the aluminium 
succinate. ; 
THE ALUMINIUM SUCCINATE. 
This deposit is in places quite white; occasionally it is 
quite soft, and is easily powdered. It seems to be a salt 
