157 



Mr. Forester J. G. Postlethwaitc, of Grenfell, a man of great experience 

 with western timbers, being asked to give a list of the best six fuel woods 

 of his district, adds this caution: 



I do not s,'ivc Pino as a good fuel wood for general use. as it is too dan-erous, 

 throwing out sparks and burning too fiercely, but it is the best for heating 

 boilers and bakers' ovens. 



The ordinary "Colonial Pine" of the Sydney market is the Richmond 

 River Pine, <-alh-d also Hoop Tine. AV!iit- Pine, or Maryborough Pine 

 (An: //.;/). Cypress Pine is often known_a< Colonial Pine 



in 'the districts in \vhich it grows, and confusion has arisen, ere now, in 

 interpret! ni;- "Colonial Pine" in contract-. 



Wliifr Ants con! Ci/iiri-x* Piiic.l have already referred t, the fact that 

 while this pine is very resistant it is not absolutely so. Following is some 

 evidence in the matter: - 



If only fully matured timber be used, that is the dark ye! low-coloured wood. 

 ants wil'l no) touch ii. It is only the light yellow-coloured timber (which is cut 

 from trees not fully irrowu or matured) that the ants will attack. T find from 

 inquiries that white ants attack this timber either growing or when fallen, so 

 far as Hie sapwood and bark is concerned. They will also attack the fresh cut 

 timber In-fore the sap dries. There are four varieties recognised in the western 

 districts. (J. V. de <'o<jue. ) These are white, red, and yellow I see ('. ro&S*), 

 and black (C. catearatlt) , which last timber Mr. de Coque issues a warning 

 against. 



Koth Black and White I'ine are of a very durable quality, and are exten- 

 sively used in the building trade, for which they are much pri/ed on account of 

 their \\liiie ant resisting qualities. I have examined pine timber that has been 

 in use in buildings for forty years, and lind it still perfHly sound. ! consider 

 it is a srreat oversight that this timber is not introduced by the building trades 

 into Sydney, where the white ant is so destructive. (Forester rondell, 

 Narrandera. ) 



A house in my district is built of hardwood, with the exception of the ceil- 

 ings and lining-boards. A set of pigeon-holes. '.! feet x 4 feet, made out of 

 imported pine, in one of the rooms, is. together with all the wood in the build- 

 ing. excepting our own colonial phi' 1 cut in the district, showing signs of white 

 ants. The pal'ngs round this building are also of imported pine, and although 

 only of seven years' standing Ihey have now to be pulled down on account of 

 the white ants eating the boards, and replaced by palings made out of the 

 locally-grown pine. Other houses in the same- town, with palings of Colonial 

 Pine, standing over lifteen years, show no signs of white ants. (Forester 

 Harris, Ounnedali. ) 



(.\iistniliiin Sundarac). It was a specimen of resin from the 

 Oyster "Hay Pine of Tasmania (('. nti>r<'*vifonnix. var. tasmanica), sent to 

 the Exhibition of 1s."l. which tirst drew the attention of experts to 'the 

 possibilities of Australian Sandarac. 



This is one of the most valuable of Australian vegetable products; a 

 market is ready for it, and it seems strange that it should have been so 

 much neglected. There are no -tatistics available in regard to the importa- 

 tion of Sandarac into these colonies, but to bring it here at all is a veritable 

 " carrying coals to Newcastle. '' 



It is a matter of common observation, that a number of raw vegetable 

 products of more or less importance are going to waste in Australia, simply 

 because our people are ignorant of their properties and value. I can hardly 

 cite a better instance than that of Australian Sandarac. Here we have a 

 product absolutely and entirely identical in chemical and physical proper- 

 ties with a well-known article in regular demand. The price of this article 



