THE FORESTS. 41 



Aii important by-product of the kauri is the resin, known as 

 " gum." This is usually dug out of the ground, covered now by the 

 northern heath, but originally occupied by kauri forest. Trees, also, 

 have incisions made into their bark a mischievous proceeding, the 

 sap flowing out freely, and soon hardening into resin, which is re- 

 moved finally by men Avho climb the trees (fig. 14). 



The kahikatea (Podocarpus dacrydioides), the rimu (Dacrydium 

 cupressinum), and the miro (Podocarpus ferrugineus) all afford excellent 

 timber for various purposes, the two latter being confused in many 

 timber-yards. The matai (Podocarpus spicatus) is a fine wood for 

 resisting weather, and is only excelled by the totara (Podocarpus 

 totara) and the Westland pine (Dacrydium Colensoi), the D. westlandi- 

 cum of the " Forest Flora," and the yellow-pine (D. intermedium). 

 Thess two last, also, are used largely for railway-sleepers. For 

 fencing-posts the puriri (Vitex lucens), the broadleaf (Griselinia 

 littoralis), and the kowhai are excellent, but the first and last 

 become scarcer daily. It should be quite feasible to raise the 

 kowhai artificially in any quantity, since it germinates readily 

 from seed, and will grow very well in the open. The New Zealand 

 honeysuckle (Knightia excelsa, rewarewa) is one of the handsomest 

 woods in the world. Unfortunately, great quantities are destroyed 

 through settlement a destruction which should be stopped, if 

 possible. 



Other valuable timbers are : The northern rata (Metrosideros 

 robusta), which is extremely hard and useful for wheelwright's work 

 and bridge-building, as well as being an excellent firewood ; the various 

 species of Nothofagus, especially N. fusca, yielding a durable and 

 strong building-material, which w^arps more or less ; the pahautea 

 (Libocedrus BidivilUi), a very light wood, of a red colour, out of which 

 canoes have been made ; the towai or kamahi (Weinmannia race- 

 mosa), yielding an excellent bark for tanning, and a wood both 

 ornamental and strong ; the pukatea (Laurelia novae-zelandiae), with 

 pale-brown, soft but strong and tough wood, which has been used 

 for boat-building and furniture ; the maire-rau-nui (Olea Cunning- 

 Jiamii), an extremely strong timber. 



Further details, however, are unnecessary ; they may be found 

 by those interested in Kirk's " Forest Flora," and in the admirable 

 report of the Lands Department entitled ' Forestry in New Zea- 

 land." Most of the trees have some use or other ; but, as is the case 



