THE CONVERSION AND CHARACTERISTICS OF 

 COLONY TIMBER. 



By H. A. Wishart. 



I had no idea that I was to undertake such a task when asked to 

 record my experience and impressions of mill-sawing our colony-grown 

 timbers with special reference to conversion of timber in the bush, 

 which is likely to be necessary if the construction of a Railway to the 

 interior is set about. As the scope of the subject under review is v\ide, 

 it will be necessary first to refer to plant, power and best type of paw, 

 after actual proof in practice, before turning to the peculiarities of some 

 of our woods during and after conversion. 



Weight 

 Green. 



83 

 81 



It might be well at the outset to give a short table 

 most commonly used and therefore frequently sawn, thei 

 weight per cubic foot and grades of hardness. 



Table. 



Name. Ur y We j? ht 



per eft. 



Bullet Tree (Mimusops Globosa) ... 67-^ lbs. 



Greenheart (JVectandra Jiodioei) ... 75 ,, 



Purple Heart (Copaifera) ... 49-62 ,, 



Suradani (Hieronyma Laxiflora) ... 49 „ 



Mora (Dimorpltandra Mora) ... 68-g- ,, 



Wallaba (Eperua Falcata) ... 65^ ,, 



Silverbally (Brown) {Nectandra Up.) 49^ ,, 



Keritee {Nectandra Sp.) ... 32 ,, 



Crabwood (Carapa Guianensis) ... 39£ ,, 



Cedar ( Gedrela Odorata) ...32-47 ,, 



Simarupa {Simaruba Amara) ... 30 „ 

 Dallie (Myristica Surinamensis) . . . 22 ,, 

 Plum (Ilymenoea) ... ... 57^ ,, 



81 



52 



of the timbers 

 r recorded dry 



Grade of 

 Hardness. 



Compare Ebony. 



,, Boxwood. 



„ Blackthorn. 



„ Ash & Elm. 

 „ Beech. 



English "1 

 " Birch. J 

 „ White Pine. 



Plant and Motive Power. 

 The decision, as to whether the saw-mill plant should be erected in 

 either of the existing towns or the interior, is indeed a very important 

 one and a great deal hinges on it towards success or failure. In the first 

 place it determines what your motive power is to be. 



Water Power. The site of erection of the up-country mill may 

 happen to be so well selected that sufficient water-power may be obtaina- 

 ble in well-wooded timber forest. Undoubtedly this is the most econo- 

 mical force to employ provided the full supply of water is available during 

 the dry season. Disposal of saw-mill waste refuse is, however, a little 

 troublesome, unless separate plant is installed for making sawdust 

 briquets, etc. 



