866 
The tropical AdRiauLtyRisT 
June c, 1891 . 
THE EUCALYrTS. 
On many occasions we have been called on to 
notice the conscientiously elaborated work of Baron 
Sir Ferdinand von Mueller on the Bucalypts of 
his adopted country. The “ Bucalyptographia” in- 
deed, is, and must long remain, the standard work 
on the subject. Thanks to a large extent to his 
zeal and energy, many of the species have been 
distributed in India, in our colonies, in Algeria, 
and along the shores of the Mediterranean generally. 
Some, such as B. coccif era, B. Gunnii, and B. cordata, 
are hardy in various parts of Britain, whilst in the 
Isle of Wight and in Arran, other species are found 
capable of resisting a climate which, in any case, 
must be less favourable than that in which they 
grow naturally. 
In many of our colonies, such as the Cape of 
Good Hope, and in Southern France and Algeria, 
many more species may be grown with advantage 
than is the case here. It becomes, therefore, a 
matter of great importance to be able to discriminate 
the species, and apply to them the correct names. 
Many circumstances render this anything but an easy 
task, even in Australia. Our highly-valued corres- 
pondent, M. Charles Naudin, published, in 1883, a 
memoir dealing with about thirty species, as then 
knowm to him in cultivation. Since that time many 
new species have been introduced, and much fresh 
imformation has been gathered concerning those 
previously known. M. Baudin, by natural quali- 
fications, long practical experience as a botanist and 
as a cultivator, and by favourable conditions for 
study, is specially well fitted to deal with these 
puzzling plants. He has grown many of them in 
the rich garden of the Villa Thuret, at Antibes, 
from the seedling to the fruiting stage ; he has had 
them constantly under observation for many years, 
and been able to follow their vagaries and unmask 
the protean disguises assumed by some at least of 
them in successive stages of their growth.* The 
great value of the Bucalypts, depends upon their 
rapid growth. If they are planted for sanitary 
lJurposes, this rapid growth is all important, as the 
trees affect the drainage of the soil by their roots, 
purify the air by their leaves, and possibly act bene- 
ficially by exhaling balsamic vapours, which are 
prejudicial to microbes, or which render noxious 
vapours harmless. If they are planted for timber’ 
the planter has the satisfaction of knowing that no 
tree that he can cultivate will “grow into money’, 
in so short a time, and that no tree will furnish 
a return for the outlay expended upon it in so brief 
a period as these so-called Gum trees. About a 
hundred species are known, but of these only a few 
are suitable for cultivation and in making a planta- 
tion of them, the use to which the trees are to be 
Xiut eventually must be borne in mind. If for tim- 
ber species remarkable for their rapid growth must 
be selected, such as B. globulus, E. Muelleris and E. 
gomphocephala. If timber of great solidity, density, 
durability be required, preference should, according 
to M. Naudin, be given to E. marginata, E. rostrata, 
and E. polyanthenia. If planting for ornamental 
purposes, then such species as B. robusta, cornuta, 
botryoides, and leucoxylon are to be recommended. 
Outside the region of the Olive, of course, only the 
hardiest species can be cultivated, such as E. coccifera, 
B. viminulis, E. Gunnii, E. urnigera, and E. cordata. 
E. globulus is the best known species in this country, 
and of that, as we have recorded recently, there are 
some thriving trees in the Isle of Wight and elewhere. 
E. globulus is also largely employed in this comrtry 
in decorative gardening, the silvei’y foliage being 
very effective in the flower garden. A fine tree at 
ilydres was figured in our volume for May 7, 1881. 
Of the largo tree of li. coccifera at Powderham 
Oastle, Devonshire, we give an illustration at p. IG'J 
of our pi'cscnt number. E. urnigera, of which there 
Is a fine specimen in Mr. Secretary Balfour's garden 
at Whittinghame, was figured at p. 101, April II, 
JH 88 ; see also p. 02 H, of the same volume. At 
filiun cl den I'.ucali/plas iiitroduits cn 
J'.iiidpe, second nicnioire. Par Cluulos Naudin (do 
lihAilut; J. I8VI, 8vo, pp. 72. 
Menabilly, in Cornwall, is a large tree of E. Gunnii 
with a fine head and well-furnished from groimd to 
top and of which Mr. Rashleigh obligingly sent us fruit- 
ing specimens some time since. 
There are some who think that the role of syste- 
matic botany, at least as regards flowering plants, 
is played out, and that minute anatomy and physio- 
logy are the only depiartments of botanical science 
worth the attention for serious students — a singular 
reversal of w'hat was the feeling or the practice at 
the time when Gardeners' C'/iro/Acfe was founded, 
and for a score or more years after. Looking at the 
niatter, hpwever, from a purely practical point of 
view, without reference to abstract science, we could 
hardly point to any case in which the necessity for 
observation and classification are more important 
than in the case of these Bucalypts. To know which 
are the right species to plant, we must know what 
are the qualifications which render them valuable, 
what are the discriminating marks which will enable 
us to indentify them, and w'hat are the names by 
which they are called. To effect all this, we need 
the assistance of the systematic botanist, and M. 
Naudin tells us in the present pamphlet what are 
the points to which special attention should be 
directed. The foliage is very variable at different 
stages of growth, and an observation of the different 
modes of attachment, and of the different shapes 
of the leaves at different ages, is often useful in 
the task of discriminating one species from another. 
Thus, M. Naudin makes three groups: — 1 , those in 
which the leaves are opposite and all of the same 
shape; 2 , those in whicn the leaves are alternate 
and uniform ; 3, those in which the leaves present 
two different shapes. These, however, are to be taken 
as indications, not as absolute statements, for, as 
usual. Nature refuses to be tied dowm by any hard 
and fast lines and exceptional instances are not 
infrequent. The configuration and texture of the 
leaves afford other “ cnaracters,’’ as also does the 
shape of the cotyledons or seed leaves. There are 
differences also in “habit,” in the mode of branch- 
ing, the nature of the bark, and the way in which 
it is cast off. The inflorescence or manner in which 
the flowers are arranged, offers better characters, 
and the differences in the size, colour, and construction 
of the flower and fruit, are all valuable aids to the 
descriptive botanist. Acting on these criteria, M. 
Naudin furnishes us in the present treatise with a 
threefold synopsis, one in which the species are 
grouped according to the disposition and modification of 
the leaves ; another in which they are arranged according 
to the inflorescence and flower, and a third in which 
the grouping is made in accordance with the pecu- 
liarities observable in the fruit or capsule. These 
tables are, of course, purely artificial guides to faci- 
litate research. By combining the data thus obtained, 
a more uatrual grouping is obtained as follows; — 
Section 1 . Inflorescence in cymes or axillary 
umbels. 
Capsules longer than the calyx-tube. 
Capsules shorter tnan the calyx-tubes. 
Cymes three-flowered, 
Leaves uniform, opposite, 
Leaves uniform alternate. 
Leaves of two shapes. 
Cymes 3 to 7 or more flowered. 
Cymes 7-flowered. 
Leaves uniform opposite. 
Leaves of two shapes, opposite at first. 
Leaves uniform, always alternate. 
Cymes or umbels, axillary, more thah 7-flow'ered. 
Leaves uniform. 
Leaves of tw'o shapes. 
Section 11 . Flow'ers in terminal panicles or corymbs. 
To this tabular statement, which we have abridged 
for our purpose, is added a detailed description of the 
fifty-six species known to the author as growing in 
tlm gardens of Provence. Other species are alluded 
to as not sufficiently known to be adequately treated 
of at present. 
It will be seen that M. Naudin has once more 
enriched botany and horticulture with a treatise 
wiiich demands and will ensure tlie gratitude ef their 
Ivllvwers. 
