Rods and Rod Material. 143 



tried transversely, taking a very heavy strain and break- 

 ing with an unusually long fracture ; the grain is close, 

 and somewhat resembles Cuba or Spanish mahogany, 

 but is very plain " (Laslett). It takes a high polish. 



Cleghorn says, " The strength of the wood is very re- 

 markable, being more than double 'that of oak. The 

 Chinese use it for the stern-posts of their junks and for 

 anchors, and they export it from Singapore. A log 

 twenty-four feet long and one and a half feet square is 

 worth ten dollars." 



Of the specimens tested by Mr. Laslett, three broke 

 with a very long fracture, and three much shorter and 

 scarf like. 



THE IRONBARK TREE 



Is a native of, and abundant in, Australia. It is a lofty 

 tree of moderate circumference, and yields timber from 

 twenty to forty feet in length and from eleven to thirteen 

 inches square. It receives its name from the hardness 

 of its bark. The botanical name is Eucalyptus resini- 

 fera. 



The wood is of a deep red color, very hard, heavy, 

 strong, extremely rigid, and rather difficult to work. 

 It has a plain straight grain. It is used extensively 

 in Australia in ship-building and engineering works, as 

 well as in England for the former purpose. 



But four specimens of this were tested by Mr. Laslett. 

 No. 1 broke with a wiry fracture sixteen inches in length; 

 No. 2 wiry fracture of twelve inches ; No. 3 wiry fract- 

 ure of ten inches ; No. 4 broke short to one-third depth, 

 then splintering fracture ten inches in length. 



Attention is particularly called to the last two woods 

 in the following table, which, if correct, shows both to 

 be lighter, stronger, stiffer, and more elastic than green- 



