TASMANIAN TIMBERS. 41 



TASMANIAN TIMBER. 



MYRTACEAE 



GUM TREES (Eucalypti). 



Eucalyptus means well-covered, because the flower-bud 

 is covered with a lid, which is forced off when the flower 

 expands. 



Of all Tasnianian trees Gum trees are the most remark- 

 able, from the immense size to which they attain,, thedr 

 very general distribution over the Island, and the wide 

 range of uses to which their products may be put. The 

 tmnks of these trees are straight and cylindrical for a 

 hundred feet and upwards, with only a small amount of 

 taper; the whole tree will measure from two to over three 

 hundred feet in height; the diameter of well-grown trees, 

 varying from three to six feet commonly, and up to twelve 

 and fifteen feet above the buttresses. Piles have been 

 recently cut for the Admiralty Works, Dover, one hundred 

 and twenty feet long and twenty inches square. Bridge 

 beams and large wharf -timbers also are cut on " the 

 quarter," not sided down out of the round timber, as is 

 done with smaller European trees. 



In Tasmania timber is got from the virgin forest, not from 

 plantations or artificially-made forests, as sawmills have not 

 been established for a sufficient length of time for secondary 

 gi'owths of the Gum or Eucalyptus timber to grow to their 

 full size. In consequence of this, trees that are somewhat 

 past their prime may be cut with others. In aged trees the 

 first part tq fail is the centre or heart-wood, the wood ia- 

 'creasing in strength towards the outside of the tree, the 

 best part being the ring inside the sap wood. This is always 

 borne in mind in getting or inspecting timber; any show- 

 ing signs of being near the heart is either rejected or very 



