496 AUSTRALIAN NATIVE PLANTS. 
fissile nature of the wood, which enables it to be easily worked, it 
is brought into more general use than the timber of most other 
Eucalypts. For ordinary works it is in great demand, and is 
extensively used for fencing rails, scantlings, boards, shingles, 
palings, rafters, posts and scaffolding-poles (J. E. Brown); but it 
has some tendency to warp or twist. The timber is light in 
appearance, weighs from 50 to 603lbs. per cubic foot of dry wood, 
therefore having a specific gravity of .809 to .ggo. It is said to be 
somewhat susceptible to dry rot. Its durability was, however, 
shown in pulling down the old courthouse at Hobart, when the 
timbers, forty years old, were found to be as sound as when 
putin. It also splits well, yielding palings 20in. broad. Near 
the base the wood assumes a beautiful wavy figure, which is 
admirably adapted for furniture, and very ornamental. 
Following are brief descriptions of specimens of this timber, 
from rather small trees, in the Technological Museum. They are 
all from New South Wales, except the last, which is from Victoria : 
1. ‘‘ Stringybark.’”’ Warm brown, inclined to shakes, splits 
very freely, diameter of tree, 1ft. gin. 2. ‘‘ Stringybark.” Warm 
brown, free from gum-veins, difficult to work to obtain a quite 
even surface, moderately heavy, diameter 2ft. (Adelong). 3. 
“ Messmate.’’ Buff or light-brown, wavy grain, works fairly well; 
a sound log, diameter, 2ft. 3in. (Southern district). 4. “Stringy- 
bark.” Fairly sound and well-seasoned, light-brown, does not 
work easily, diameter roin. (Macleay River, szc.) 5. “ Stringy- 
bark.” Brown colour, full of gum-veins, coarse grain. 
This tree has been introduced extensively in India on the 
Nilgiris, and, on a smaller scale by way of experiment, in the 
Punjab, and in several places in the north-west Himalayas. 
(Brandis.) It has also been tried at Changa Manga, but has failed 
at Lucknow. (Gamble.) 
Specimens of this timber from Bullarook Forest, Victoria, were 
examined by Mr. F. A. Campbell (Proc. R.S. Vict., 1879.) His 
values of the tensile strength in pounds per square inch are 8500, 
8500, and 8200. They broke with a short fracture. The wood 
was well seasoned, clean, but not quite free from shakes. 
Mr. Campbell, however, remarks that this should not, however, 
