The Conversion and Characteristics of Colony Timber. 299 



Bullet Tree (Mimusops Globosa). 

 It is undoubtedly well known that from this tree is bled the balata 

 of commerce. Owing to Government restriction of the felling of the 

 bullet tree on Crown Lands there is a great scarcity of this timber as 

 compared with former times when the .embargo did not exist. Anyway 

 supplies in small lots are sometimes obtainable from owners of private 

 property on which such trees are to be found, as there is no objection to 

 their removal. 



This timber exudes a peculiar gummy substance during the process 

 of sawing, which becomes troublesome to the sawyer if he is not familiar 

 with sawing such wood. Bulletwood, as it is frequently called, is very 

 close and straight-grained and genuinely tough ; therefore it needs to be 

 tackled with keen edged saws. Beyond a little precaution during milling- 

 there are no difficulties of an unusual character to be met with. 



Lumber from this tree dresses up well and easily, takes a tine polish, 

 and when well cured has the appearance of walnut. 



Greenheart (Nectandra Rodioei). 

 This timber has now become world-famous and needs no further 

 description from me of its durability and other renowned qualities. 



Although classed amongst our hard woods it is easily sawn. Owing 

 to its straightness of grain and liability to split, logs should be entered 

 slowly into the log frame mill and the feed gradually increased. 



Special care is required to guard against splitting in re-sawing with 

 a circular saw. As a high speed has to be developed with the circular 

 if it is to perform its work in a satisfactory manner, the sudden jar at the 

 point of contact with the wood causes the splitting, and in this respect the 

 heavy circular gives the most trouble. 



During cross-cutting it is not an uncommon thing to see the ends of 

 the timber checking as the saw makes its way through, and frequently 

 an iron clamp has to be used as a preventative until a wooden batten 

 is nailed over the sawn portion. 



An application of " Loracine " immediately smeared over the newly 

 sawn surface undoubtedly prevents splitting. " Loracine ' ; will not, how- 

 ever, stop or arrest a started shake and it is futile to attempt to stop it. 

 Season checks are hardly visible if n Loracine " is properly applied and for 

 months after no signs are seen. 



The cause of wood splitting is easily explained if one takes into con- 

 sideration the structure of timber and its condition when a newly cut 

 transverse section is brought into contact with the air. As the pores lie 

 principally in the direction of the fibres, the timber begins to dry up at 

 its ends first, because the exposed pores give up their moisture very 

 quickly, whereas towards the middle of the log the moisture remains 

 much longer. The air which takes the place of moisture oxidises and 



