As regards the nomenclature of our cabinet timbers, our settlers were first in the field in bestowing 

 vernacular names, and it is too late to alter them now, so a little care must be exercised when applying 

 the common names, which however are a little nearer the mark than many conferred on our gum trees, 

 for when one mentions Maple, Myrtle, Sycamore, or Walnut, the wood referred to will generally be found 

 to possess some of the features of these exotic woods. On the other hand, in the name " gum tree " we 

 have trees that do not yield gum; Apple trees that do not bear apples ; again Blue Fig, a tree that does 

 not bear figs, and so on. 



One deplorable feature in connection with the subject has been the wanton waste of hundreds of 

 millions of feet of the finest timber, subsequent upon the opening up of the country for settlement. Enormous 

 quantities of the most beautiful timber have been felled " and cast into the fire," and in a great measure 

 this is going on to-day. If settlement is to take place, of course the clearing of the land is inevitable, but 

 it does seem to show a want of business capacity somewhere that the timber could not be marketed. 



As only certain desirable districts are opened out, there yet remains large areas of land eminently 

 suitable for forests, such as mountain ranges and gullies, and a considerable portion of these is practically 

 valueless for any other purpose than timber-growing. 



The original areas which grew the timber were so extensive, arid the virgin supplies being so- 

 plentiful, they were looked upon as inexhaustible. However, the timber areas are decreasing, and the time 

 has come when timber must be put on a similar footing to other crops, so that fresh supplies should be 

 provided for. 



Some choice woods like Cedar are now becoming very scarce on the New South Wales coast. In 

 Queensland, however, the supplies are larger, and the proportion of standing timber is greater Jess, 



