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Australian Red Cedar 



A NEW TREE INTRODUCTION 



By C. S. JuDD, Superintendoit of Forestry. 



The Division of Forestry will have ready for distribution with- 

 in a few weeks several thousand young trees of the Australian 

 red cedar, Cedrela australia, which it desires to have planted out 

 in as many different situations as possible in order to test its 

 adaptability to these islands. This is a timber tree which promises 

 to be of great value to the Territory. Its distribution has been^ 

 made possible by the gift of a quantity of seed which Mr. A. W. 

 van Valkenburg and Mr. E. C. Smith kindly turned over to this 

 Division and which Islv. Smith personally selected and gathered 

 recently in Australia. 



The timber of the Australian red cedar is considered the most 

 valuable produced in New South Wales and it is in universal use 

 there. The tree is found growing naturally in Queensland and 

 New South Wales, especially in the warmest and moistest dis- 

 tricts between the latitudes of 35° and 20° south. It grows best 

 in protected places where there is a little shade. The tree is 

 easily transplanted, is a rapid grower, and in Australia attains a 

 height up to 200 feet with a diameter up to 10 feet. The size of 

 the average tree now being cut in Australia is about half of the 

 above. 



The wood of the Australian red cedar is equal to mahogany 

 but lighter in weight. It is used for many of the same purposes, 

 for tables, cabinets, furniture, doors, and interior finish and it is 

 excellent for carriage building because it is light and easily 

 worked. It seasons well with very little splitting and is very 

 durable when kept dry. 



The Division of Forestry will be glad to place a number of 

 these trees in the hands of tree planters who will be willing to 

 set them out in suitable situations, care for them, and report on 

 their growth in after years. Orders for these trees will be gladly 

 received from those who are willing to do this and who have 

 not already received special notification that these trees will be 

 available for distribution. 



