SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 
None of the States possesses an institution sufficiently well equipped 
~ for the investigation of the various problems which suggest themselves. 
«\nd for each State to attempt to undertake the work on its own account 
would obviously result in overlapping and unnecessary waste of money, 
as well as of the abilities of the scientific men actually engaged in 
research. Hard as the times may be through which Australia is now 
passing, nevertheless she can better afford to be liberal with her cash 
than wasteful of her trained scientists. No doubt the States themselves 
would welcome an opportunity for co-operative and co-ordinated effort, 
and those States with big forest areas have already intimated a strong 
desire for economic exploration along one or two main channels rather 
than for isolated and detached experimentation. 
Many of the problems of the States are practically anneals The 
vegetation of Australia is highly peculiar. A great number of grasses, 
and the most widely distributed plants native to. Australia, are quite 
different from those of other countries. Many whole groups of plants, 
such as the genus Eucalyptus, are entirely Australian. The effect of 
this high degree of peculiarity in one flora renders it essential that, for 
the full development of our forest and vegetable resources, researches 
into the products of our indigenous plants should be conducted. 
Australia to-day, in addition to being a’ manufacturer on a fairly 
large scale of leather products, is an exporter of leather. At the same 
‘time, she is an importer of tannin. The position is incongruous. No 
exhaustive survey has been made of the indigenous tannin-producing 
flora; nor has the possibility of manufacturing paper pulp been inquired 
into. For some occult reason, Australia is believed by her own people 
to be incapable of producing paper pulp, or even of growing timbers 
which will yield the necessary fibre. From the incomplete, superficial 
experiments that have been made, however, there is reason to assume 
that paper pulp can be economically made from some of our Eucalypts. 
Information gained from investigations as to the distillation products 
of Australian timbers, from laboratory tests made at the Forest Products 
Laboratory, Wisconsin, U.S.A., with bluegum (Hucalyptus globulus) 
grown in California showed that it compared very favorably with the 
standard American species—beech, birch, and maple—in the yield of 
wood alcohol, acetate of lime, charcoal, and tar. The consulting 
engineer in charge of that institution considers that timber grown in 
Australia should give even higher yields owing to its slower growth, and 
consequently its denser nature. But of these facts Australia knows 
nothing, and apparently cares nothing. A complete investigation under 
this heading is vital for defence purposes alone, unless, of course, 
Australia enjoys by Divine dispensation eternal immunity from attack. 
Aeroplane and land transport depend upon liquid fuel, ul Australia in 
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