Class IV.]
WOODS OF VAX DIEMEN'S LAND, AND OF AMERICA.
140
WOODS OF VAN DIEMEN'S LAND— continued.
2. Blue gum (Eucalyptusglobulus).
An enormous tree ; it is said to be equal to oak for ship-building, and may be obtained inbeams of any dimension up to 200 feet in length. It appears somewhat premature tospeak very decidedly of the value of this comparatively new wood, but, from the prac-tical results already obtained, it certainly promises to be a most important material forthe ship-builder. A blue gum tree near Tobosa, on the northern aspect of MountWellington range, measured upwards of 30 feet in diameter at the base: and this is byno means unusually large for the trees of this species. According to the Rev. Mr.Ewing, a swamp gun-tree has been measured 102 feet in circumference, at 3 feet fromthe ground.
3. Cedar, or Pencil pine It grows in the mountain ravines and gorges, and in the high table-land about 4000 feet
(Arthrotaxis selagi- above the level of the sea.nobles ?).
4. Celery pine (Phyllocladus A handsome tree, which grows in the cold and moist part9 of Van Diemen’s Land, and
aspleniifolia). attains a height of 150 feet. The wood is close-grained, and beautifully white; it is
well adapted for household purposes.
5. Cherry (Exocarpu9 cu- A small graceful tree with lively green foliage : thinly scattered on the eastern side of
pressiformis). the colony. It is useful as a cabinet wood, and forms good ornamental veneers.
6. Dog-wood(Bedfordia,sp.) This tree attains to considerable size in Maria Island; the wood is very richly and
beautifully marked, it is consequently an excellent cabinet wood, and well adapted forall sorts of ornamental work.
(Banksia A low shrubby tree; the wood is handsome, and useful for cabinet work and for veneer-ing. The bark is employed in tanning.
\ most remarkably beautiful light-coloured wood, singularly marked with dark spots,especially towards the lower part of the stem : admirable for ornamental furniture.
7. Honeysuckle
australis).
8. Iluon Pine (DacrydiumFranklinij).
9. He-oakstricta).
10. Iron-wood (Notilia ligus-
trina).
13. Musk-wood (Eurybia ar-
gophylla).
(Casuarina A low tree, of no great beauty or value, which grows upon the open-grounds.
A tree which rarely attains a greater diameter than 12 to 14 inches; the specimenexhibited, however, is nearly 2 feet. The wood is very hard and dense, and has beenconsequently made into sheaves for ships’ blocks.
Said to be the most durable of all the Norfolk Island woods.
A comparatively small tree, which grows only in dense forests and close, damp situations.The wood is close-grained, very beautifully marked, especially at the lower part of thebutt, and takes a fine polish. It is most admirably adapted for veneering and othercabinet-work.
14. Myrtle (Fagus Cunning- This tree forms dense forests in parts which extend for many miles ; the tree sometimes
harnii). attains a girth of 30, or even 40 feet, and a proportionate height. The wood is hard,
very close-grained, and has a fresh pink or red colour. The lower part of the stem isoften very beautifully veined, rendering it excellent for cabinet-work; it takes a beau-tiful polish.
15. Pine, Oyster-bay (Calli- Grows only on the eastern coast. The wood is used for internal fittings in houses, and
tris australis). for agricultural implements.
16. Pine, Norfolk Island Very transparent in thin pieces ; a good wood for turning.
(Araucaria excelsa).
17 Pink-wood (Carpodonlos Grows chiefly on the western side of the island, in the dense myrtle forests. It attains alucida). height of 100 to 150 feet, with a clear straight stem. The wood is fine-grained, and
very hard ; it has been used for the sheaves of ship blocks.
18. Richca - wood (Kichca Grows only in the dense moist forests on the western side of the island ; attains a height
pandanifolia). of 30 or 40 feet, and a diameter of 10 inches.
19. Rose-wood, or Zebra-wood Said to be plentiful in Lake country, and about Marlborough.
(Acacia, sp.)
20. Sassafras-wood (Athero- A moderate-sized tree ; very abundant. The wood is soft, even, and close-grained ; well
sperma inoschatum). adapted for internal building, flooring-boards, cabin-fittings, &c.; it turns well.
21. She-Oak, or Beef-wood A hard and beautifully-marked cabinet-wood ; it takes a high polish.
( Casuarj na quadrival vis).
22. Silver-wattle (Acacia dealbata).
23. Stringy-bark (Eucalyptus An enormous tree; very abundant. A stringy-bark tree, near the Cam river, on the
robusta). north-west coast, measures 200 feet to the first limb, and has been calculated to contain
in the trunk alone 225 tons of timber. The wood is rather coarser than that of theblue gum, and is chiefly used for house and ship-building, and for fencing; it isespecially esteemed for treenails.
24. White-wood (Pittosporum Seldom acquires a greater diameter than a foot. The wood has a remarkably close even
bicolor). grain, and might therefore, perhaps, be employed by wood-engravers. It is used by the
25. "White Oak of Norfolk natives for their kk waddies,” or war-clubs.
Island (Hibiscus Pa-
tersonii). . -—-
A valuable little collection of the woods of New Zea-land is contributed by Tao Nci, a native chief (44). Forthese the Jury awarded a Prize Medal.
Two small collections of the woods of New Zealand areexhibited by J. Johnson (21, p. 1001), and by W. Fox.These were deemed -worthy of Honourable Mention.
WOODS OF AMERICA.
The collection of American woods is by no means numerous. It consists of two separate series, and a fewisolated specimens; the series contributed by R. J. Pei.l, of New York (115, p. 1440), consists of 167 specimens;unfortunately, however, many of these are cut from small branches or young trees, and do not therefore well showthe characters of the wood; it was, nevertheless, deemed worthy of Honourable Mention. »
4. Acer eriooarpum
5. Acer saccharinumG. Boxwood.
7. Blue dogwood.
Moose wood.Bird’s-eye maple.Hemlock spruce."White maple.Sugar maple.
8. Betula populifelia
9. Cupressus juniperus
10. Castanea vesca -
11. Ccrasus virginiana
12. Can a tomentosa —
13. Diospyros - —