268 Essays. 
(sandfly) ; and for several years they have used as purgative medicines the 
juice of the root of the New Zealand flax (Phormium), and the bark of the 
kowhai (Edwardsia grandiflora); as a tonic, the leaves of the kohekohe 
(Dysoxylum spectabile); as a demuleent, in colds, &c., the bark of the 
houhere (Hoheria populnea); as a diaphoretic, Mentha cunninghamii; and, 
as slightly alterative, a decoction of the bark and stems of the pikiarero 
(Clematis hexasepala), and the root of the tataraheke (Coprosma acerosa). 
24. Touching the ceconomie botany of the present time— or era of 
New Zealand colonization—not a little has been already done by the early 
settlers to show the uses, qualities, and values of many of the timbers, and 
other vegetable substances of the North Island of New Zealand. Indeed, 
several of her botanical productions are better known in the old world than 
those of much older colonies. In now considering these, it is purposed to 
do so more with reference to their utility, &c., than to their botanical 
sequence or arrangement. Consequently the principal timber trees will be 
first noticed. 
(1.) The chief timber-producing trees—i.e., those which are usually 
sawn into boards for common purposes—are seven in number, all being 
botanieally classed under the natural family Conifere ; although really 
possessing among them only one true pine. This is the far-famed and 
justly celebrated kauri (Dammara australis), the largest and most useful of 
all the New Zealand timber trees. This stately tree grows commonly to the 
height of 140-150 feet; a few reach to 170 or even 200 feet. In general, 
it has a clean trunk 50 to 60 feet in height before. reaching the branches 
(which are enormously large, and diverge around the stem from one spot), 
with a barrel of 8 or 9 feet, tapering gradually to 5 or 6 feet. The largest 
clean and perfect barrel seen by the writer was 12 feet in diameter ; and the 
largest spar recorded was cut at the Hokianga River in 1839; it measured 
106 feet in length, without a knot, and was 2 feet square at the smaller end. 
In a kauri forest the spar trees are in proportion as one to four or five to 
the tree fit for sawing. Of this timber there are three varieties known in 
the market,—the white, the red, and the mottled (the last being rather 
searce), which are not botanically distinct. The light-coloured wood has 
the straightest grain, and is said to be less brittle when dry, and easier to 
work ; the darker kind will admit of a good polish, and is a handsomer wood 
than the former, but it is only the mottled variety that can be considered a 
fancy wood ; this kind sometimes resembles bird’s-eye maple or knotted oak, 
and makes really handsome picture-frames and pannelling, and takes a good 
polish. The colour of the varieties of kauri wood varies from a light straw 
to a reddish light-brown ; fancy pieces may often be met with delicately 
marked and variegated, with a wavy flowing appearance, which also takes a 
