141 



Speaking of a Queensland specimen sent to the Colonial and Indian 

 Exhibition, Mr. Allen Ransome says: 



Tliis wo.-d is of :i reddish colour, with ;i good li.'-rnrc. !i, worked excellently 

 iu the machines, and planes especially well. If it can be imported at a reason- 

 able price it might lake the place of mahogany. 



A specimen from the Myall Lakes, XV \v South Wales, strongly resembles 

 mahogany; but it has little figure. It is straight and, close in the grain, 

 and a good working timber. 



This wood reminds one of Cedar, hut it is a little heavier, is of rather 

 a deader colour, and it is apt to tear a little under the plane, hence it 

 fetches only about half the price of Cedar in Sydney. But it polishes well, 

 and has a sheen which is very pretty. 



Young Rosewood has hardly any colour, but the perfume is sweet. Under 

 the axe it is a fairly hard timber. Straight in grain, heavy, and beautifully' 

 coloured red in centre, the thin sap-wood, being- pale yellow; the bark is 

 slightly rough. 



"Mr. Yabsloy, of the Coraki saw-mills, says that Iiose\vood will stand the 

 weather almost as well as any of the best hardwoods, and can be split. 



As evidence of durability, some large logs of timber, moss-grown, yet still 



id, well-coloured, and emitting- the usual fragrance when cut into, can 



be seen in some of our brush forests, with large trees growing all around 



them, and which have evidently come to maturity since the trees fell, 



probably before the British settlement of Australia. Settlers often use 



Rosewood for house-blocks; they know its durability in this trying situation. 



ists both damp and white ants. 



Prinriixil V*e$. Furniture, cabinet-work, turm ry. carving 1 , and indoor- 



work of all kinds. Tt is used for iseweK mouldings, and framing of all sorts. 



;'nl for show-case work, also for planes, levers, trundles, and studs in 



roller-boards of organs, iV-c., window-jambs, screws of hand-screws, and any- 



IK-OS when 1 a wood a little harder " vrood is required. Recent test- 



3 are for bee-boxes, broom-handle-', and wire-mattress frames. Has been 



strongly recommended for wine-casks. It will split, and I am assured it; 



imparts no taste to wine. 



For boards for ballroom floors it is excellent ; I prefer it to Tallow-wood. 

 (W. Dunn.) 



Mr. Yabsley states that Rosewood can be put to more uses than any 

 timber we have in Xow South "Wales, so far as he knows. 



1 desire now to draw attention to a timber for wine-casks which I had not 

 thought of for the purpose, until the late Mr. Thomas Bawden, of Grafton, 

 brought it under my notice in 1891. His remarks on such a subject demand 

 respect, for. as is well known, he gave a good -deal of attention to the utilisa 1 - 

 tion of our native products during thirty years and more. Mr. Bawden 

 says : 



With regard to wine-casks, and the proper wood for the purpose. I think you 

 will find Rosewood the very best. I know some years ago the late Richard 

 Bligh had some largo vats and casks made of that timber, which suited admir- 

 ably, and certainly gave no taste to the wine. I yesterday asked an old wine- 

 grower of larire experience what he thought best for wine vats or casks, and 

 he at once selected Rosewood, as giving no taste of a deleterious character to 

 the wine. He has tried Silky Oak. hut has condemned it.and has not been able 

 to get anything better than Rosewood. 



