xxvi.] KARL 197 



capacity of a ship to carry it. Governor Weld, of 

 Western Australia, says he has estimated trees of this 

 description at 300 feet ; and the learned botanist, Baron 

 Van Mueller, of Melbourne, states that the Kari tree 

 reaches the height of 400 feet. 



The wood is red in colour, hard, heavy, strong, tough, 

 and slightly wavy or curled in the grain, but it has no 

 figure to recommend it for cabinet purposes. Six logs 

 of this timber, viz., two of 12" X 12" X 28', one of 

 12" x 12" x 34', two of 24" x 24" x 24, and one of 

 24" X 24" x 32', were recently shipped at Freemantle 

 by the Western Australian Government for delivery at 

 one of the royal dockyards in England, for experimental 

 trial in the navy, the colonists being of opinion that it 

 will ere long be in great request for ship-building and 

 other architectural works. Unfortunately, however, all 

 these logs had the defect of star-shake, which rendered 

 them unfit for almost any purpose except where they 

 could be employed in very large scantlings. 



It was also noticed that the Kari had the peculiar 

 blistery appearance of the annual layers which has 

 been mentioned as common to the Jarrah, consequently 

 this wood is not considered to be suitable for any work 

 requiring nicety of finish, although no doubt it would be 

 admirably suitable for piles for jetties, bridges, &c., and 

 generally for heavy structures where large scantlings and 



great strength is required. It will not last between wind 



and earth, though, as far as is yet known, it resists the 



action of water. 



It is much to be regretted that a tree so noble in its 



dimensions should prove so disappointing in its character ; 



but, like the Jarrah, to which it has some resemblance, it 



is not, I think, likely to be in request for architectural 



works in this country. 



