Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
April,  1904. 
The  Gemis  Eucalyptus. 
177 
has  led  Mr.  Spencer  to  assert  that  rather  than  adopt  a  universal 
system  of  weights  and  measures  based  on  a  decimal  plan,  "  It  will 
be  far  better  to  submit  for  a  time  to  the  evils  which  our  present 
mixed  system  entails." 
In  conclusion  I  should  like  to  say  that  few  people  will  disagree 
with  Mr.  Spencer  as  to  the  possible  advantage  that  might  be 
derived  from  a  system  of  numeration  more  adaptable  than  our 
present  system  of  decimals,  and  but  few,  very  few,  will  differ  from 
him  as  to  the  impracticability  of  introducing  such  a  system  at  the 
present  time ;  be  it  octonary,  duodecimal,  or  sexadecimal. 
Many,  particularly  in  this  country,  must  fail  to  see  how  a  mone- 
tary system,  or  a  system  of  weights  and  measures,  based  on  a  deci- 
mal plan,  could  in  any  way  impede  trade  or  interfere  with  the 
possible  adoption  of  any  improved  system  of  numeration  that  might 
be  devised  in  the  future. 
THE  GENUS  EUCALYPTUS. 
By  Henry  Kraemer. 
One  of  the  most  interesting  genera  of  plants  both  from  a  botan- 
ical and  economical  point  of  view  is  that  of  eucalyptus.  When 
the  late  Baron  F.  von  Mueller  prophesied  that  this  genus  would  "  play 
a  prominent  part  for  all  time  to  come  in  sylvan  culture  of  vast  tracts 
of  the  globe  ;  and  for  hard-wood  supplies,  for  sanitary  measures,  and 
for  beneficent  climatic  changes  all  countries  within  the  warmer 
zones  will  with  appreciative  extensiveness  have  to  rely  on  our  euca- 
lypts  during  an,  as  yet,  uncountable  period,"  he  probably  little 
realized  that  in  twenty-five  years  after  the  publication  of  his  class- 
ical work  on  "  Eucalyptographia "  it  would  already  be  the  most 
extensively  cultivated  genus  of  forest  trees,  and  also  recognized  to 
be  the  most  valuable. 
During  the  past  year  or  so  several  very  valuable  monographs  on 
the  eucalypts  have  appeared,  and  it  is  the  purpose  of  the  author  of 
the  present  paper  to  review  these  publications  together.  J.  H. 
Maiden1  is  publishing  a  "Critical  Revision  of  the  Genus  Euca- 
lyptus." This  work  is  appearing  in  parts,  and  the  remaining  num- 
bers will  be  issued  as  rapidly  as  the  plates  can  be  made,  three  parts 
1J.  H.  Maiden,  Government  Botanist  of  New  South  Wales  and  Director  of 
the  Botanic  Gardens,  Sydney. 
