Slaty Gum. 



(Eucalyptus Dawsoni, R.T.B.) 



Slaty Gum has a rather comparatively restricted distribution, but, nevertheless, amongst 

 red timbers it is one of the finest, for it is hard, heavy, close-grained, and polishes well. It could 

 be turned to splendid use where strength, weight, and durability are required, such as billiard 

 tables, newel posts, handrails, railway carriage parts, &c. At present it is quite unknown on 

 the Sydney market. 



Description of the Tree. One of the finest upstanding trees of the Australian bush, 

 having a clean white or slaty coloured bark. It is characterised by its long, clean barrel, 

 absence of lateral branches, and glaucous foliage and branchlets. The leaves are glaucous 

 in both forms, but the " sucker " of the younger trees are oval, 2 to 5 inches long, or oval 

 lanceolate 5 inches long, and petiolate ; venation well marked, oblique. The normal leaves 

 are lanceolate or narrow lanceolate, but rather small for so tall a tree generally ; measuring 

 up to 5 inches long. The venation is not too distinct, lateral veins oblique, no intramarginal 

 vein. Flowers mostly in terminal panicles, or axillary racemes at the end of the branchlets. 



Geographical Range. Murrumbo, Goulburn River, and to the north-west and ranges 

 surrounding the Liverpool Plains. 





123 



