88 MORE REMARKS ON FLORA AND FAUNA 



I disliked walking in the gum forests at the bark-shedding 

 season — the trees seemed to be in mourning, and there 

 was scarcely any animal life to be seen. The strips of bark 

 fall to the ground, where they make a great litter, and 

 render walking laborious work. It is only the thin outer 

 bark which is shed. The real bark is, perhaps, the most 

 useful part of the gum-tree to the Australians : that is, of 

 some varieties of it. 



It is by the process of barking that most of the trees 

 are killed. The bark is stripped off in sheets of five, six, 

 and seven feet square, and used for roofing houses, build- 

 ing sheds, and similar work. After being barked, the tree 

 usually stands for five or six years, or perhaps a little 

 longer ; but it is killed and soon falls. If the impatient 

 squatter or locater wants the land for immediate use, he 

 sets fire to the forest, and then there is no limit to the 

 mischief that may be done. It is against the law to destroy 

 the trees ; but the law is openly defied in this matter. 

 The utility of clearing the land is generally acknowledged ; 

 and juries will seldom convict an offender for forest-burn- 

 ing, and never for " barking." 



The undergrowth of the giant gum forest is composed 

 of tree-ferns and a mass of lovely flowers, and is a sight 

 that is only second in interest to that of the great trees. 

 There are no gloomy shades in the forest. The trees grow 

 quite a hundred and fifty feet high, and often much more, 

 before they shoot forth branches, and the foliage is so thin 

 and feathery that the light is not excluded, and flowers 

 flourish beneath them in great variety. It should be 

 mentioned that all the finest of the trees grow in deep 

 valleys and gorges amongst the mountains ; and those 

 which die from natural decay must soon rot away, for 

 there is very little fallen timber lying about. 



The village of Fernshaw is in the heart of the big-tree 

 region, and is a convenient stopping-place for those who 

 wish to visit it. Fernshaw, with its whitewashed cottages 

 and narrow country lanes, has a decidedly English appear- 

 ance. Fowls, ducks, chubby children, and an occasional 

 pig, wandering in the road, remind the English visitor of 



