TI^JBERS OF THE COLONY. 



171 



Imports of Tiiiil.cr into New South Wales during 1894. 



During 1894 we exported 46,000 spokes and 9,600 felloes to Victoria 

 and 31,500 spokes to Soutli Australia. The exports of these articles 

 to New Zealand approximately equal those to Victoria. " Felloes and 

 spokes " are enumerated in the Customs statistics under the heading 

 of " Carriage-makers' materials." Hubs and naves are included in 

 the same classification, but no figures are available as to the imports 

 and exports of those articles. 



Following are some statistics re our saw-mills, &c., for the years 

 1892 to 1894:— 



We now proceed to a more particular examination of the various 

 kinds of our timbers. 



Hardwoods. 



After ironbark, a convenient practical classification of our hardwoods 

 is into ''Pale hardwoods," ''Eed hardwoods" (both these comprising 

 the commercial or best hardwoods of the Colony), and the inferior or 

 doubtful hardwoods. 



Ironbark stands alone as the embodiment of the combination of a 

 nnmber of qualities valued in a timber, viz., hardness, strength, and 

 durability. It may he called the king of New South AVales timbers. 

 It is extensively used in bridge-construction, for railway sleepers, for 

 posts, for shafts, framing, &c., by the waggon and carriage builder; 

 for large beams in buildings, particularly in stores for heavy goods — 

 in a word, wherever great strength is required. For such purposes as 

 railway sleepers it will last an indefinite period, and in many cases has 

 only to be taken up, not because it shows signs of decay from exposure 

 on the permanent way, or disintegration because of the vibration to 



