AMERICAN LUMBER IN FOREIGN MARKETS. 133 



1 ark grows so straight that the young trees are much used for scaffold 

 polos, spars, etc., in which length, strength, toughness, and straight, 

 ness are required. The wood of these trees makes excellent palings 

 and shingles because it splits evenly and readily. It is also used largely 

 for fencing rails and sometimes posts, but it soon perishes in the 

 ground, and the white ant destroys it rapidly. As fuel it is not good. 

 When dry it burns away fiercely; when green or damp it can with dif- 

 ficulty be got to burn at all, unless mixed with other more combustible 

 wood. The blue gum (E. dumosa) is valuable for all sorts of work, and 

 for fuel as well. The white gum (E. viminalis) is generally inferior in 

 durability; it does not resist white ants, and when green or damp it is 

 worse even than stringy bark as fuel. The peppermint (E. odorata) is 

 a hard wood, useful for ordinary purposes, and very serviceable as fuel. 



The red gum is widely distributed. It is never far distant from water, 

 and its stately branches are almost invariably noticeable on the margin 

 of creeks and water courses in the north. 



All eucalypti, indeed most Australian trees, are remarkable for their 

 naked appearance. The boughs in their gray outlines are always dis- 

 tinctly traceable through the foliage, which is smooth and shiny. From 

 a distance the leaves scarcely seem to depend from the boughs. The 

 trees for their size throw little shade, and the thick branches of some 

 varieties often drop off suddenly on a perfectly calm, hot day, to the 

 certain destruction of anything that may happen to be beneath. These 

 trees give a special monotony to the scenery of South Australia. 



The wood of the acacia is useful only for cabinet work, but the 

 blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon) has better qualities for purposes of 

 that nature. This tree, however, is common in the southeast, while it 

 is rare near Adelaide. It is more common still on the eastern side of 

 the border. Another species of acacia, the wattle of the colonists (A. 

 pycnantha), at one time neglected, but now largely cultivated, is valu- 

 able for the gum which freely exudes from it. Its bark, bought in 

 England as mimosa bark, is one of the best of the kinds used for tan- 

 ning purposes. There are other kinds of acacia which are also valua- 

 ble for tanning, but none are equal to the wattle. 



The she-oak (Casurina stricta] is remarkable in appearance. Its 

 fronds do not shape as ordinary leaves; they appear as continuations 

 of the branches. It never reaches any. great height, and is almost 

 funereal in aspect. The wind rushing or sighing through these trees 

 causes a mournful whistling or wailing sound, according to its force. 

 All kinds of cattle eat the fronds greedily. The wood is tough and 

 splits tolerably even. It makes excellent spokes for wheels, handles 

 for hammers, etc., and is used also for turning work and in cabinet- 

 making. As fuel it is excellent. 



The tea trees (Melaleuca and Leptospermum) mostly inhabit low damp 

 situations, and are to some extent valuable because of the durable 

 nature of their wood when used underground, or perhaps in water. It 



