THE AUSTRALIAN NATURALIST. 13 
SOME OBSERVATIONS ON THE EUCALYPTS OF THE 
FORT JACKSON DISTRICT. 
By D. W..C. Surress. 
As a prelude to my remarks, I would like to express my 
appreciation of “The Critical Revision of the Eucalypts.” This 
great national work reveals the stupendous task undertaken 
and so successfully carried out by its author, wherein he. has 
given to the world so much of the known literature on the 
‘subject, arranged under each species, that to those who follow 
in his footsteps a blazed trail is prepared, and is there anyone 
who would not gratefully acknowledge this, and not only this, 
but the personal observations which reveal the life work of a 
master? 
In delving into this work and noting the frequent use of 
the term “Hybrid” by the different authors he quotes, I con- 
ceived the idea of noting the flowering periods of such species 
as came under my own observation, with the hope that it might 
prove of assistance and throw some light on the supposed 
hybridisation of some of the doubtful species, and so, as my 
range as well as time is limited, I have decided to appeal to 
the members of the Society for assistance, more particularly 
to the country members to note the flowering periods of the 
eucalypts in the districts wherein they are situated, and if any 
have doubts as to the species, to send flowering specimens with 
fruit to me and I will have them named and record the date 
and name of the sender. 
In the course of my wanderings in French’s Forest and 
Kuringai Chase, probably it was by having the above definite 
object in view that the differences which I will mention were 
brought so particularly under my notice, differences which show 
how great a part environment plays in the life of the trees in 
their struggle to overcome unnatural conditions, and also in the 
evolution of species. 
Haemastoma, otherwise known as “Scribbly Gum,” one of 
the most common about the district, is, in the sandstone, a 
“robust though weird looking tree—yet when found in the shale 
or even better class of sandstone country, we can understand 
Von Muller’s notes “that it attains a considerable size and fur. 
nishes timber for fencing, etc.” 
Now you must all know, i.e., if you have done any walking 
about the district, that patches of sour country occur so fre- 
quently that they form a regular feature of the bush. Some- 
