150 "Transactions.—Müscellaneous. 
Bush in April, 1862, and which has lain in the forest ever since ; it is quite 
sound and fresh right out to the bark. I also show samples of a tramway 
sleeper, made from a young tree, that has been in use at the Kew Sawmills, 
Southland, since 1866 ; it is still in good preservation. Mr. A. C. Purdie, 
on a recent visit to Catlin River, kindly collected some valuable information 
on the subject for me. He found a log that had lain partly buried in the 
earth for thirteen years quite sound, except about a quarter of an inch of 
the outside sap, which was beginning to decay. He also was shown sap- 
lings that had been used in tramway sleepers for five or six years. Although 
thus made of immature timber, and tried in the most severe manner, they 
are still as fresh as when put in. I could multiply similar proofs of the 
durability of kamai from various districts, and on undoubted authority, so 
Ihave no hesitation in giving it a high place for durability. As noticed by 
Mr. Kirk, it is subject to the ravages of a small boring worm, but the 
damage done by this animal is too insignificant to be considered a defect in 
the works for which the timber is best adapted. 
Pokako 
The only two trees of this genus in New Zealand occur throughout the 
whole eastern seaboard of Otago, and are very common in the vicinity of 
Dunedin. So far as habitat, size of trunk, and general habits are concerned 
they resemble closely we kowhai, but differ greatly from it in character of 
leaves and timber. 
No. 13. Pokako—Eleocarpus hookerianus. This tree grows to a height of 
sixty feet, with a clear trunk of from thirty to forty feet long, and two and half 
feet diameter at the base. The sap-wood is of a dirty white colour, and the 
heart a blotched or marbled brown. There is, however, very little heart- 
wood. A tree three feet in diameter will have at least six inches of sap all 
round. The wood is tough and flexible and difficult to split, but not 
durable in a damp situation. Pokako is frequently sawn up and sold as 
white pine, and used for the same purposes as that timber. It has also 
been made into earth waggons on the Southland railways, and found to 
answer admirably. The heart-wood is suited for turning or light cabinet 
work. 
No. 14. Pokako—Elaocarpus dentatus. This is recognized as a distinct 
tree from the last in the North Island, but not so in Otago. The two are 
found together, and are almost identical in size and appearance, but the 
wood is different. This one yields a much harder and more lasting timber 
than the other. It is also freer from sap-wood and easier split. 'The wood 
has a pinkish brown colour. Having been little used here in exposed 
situations we cannot speak as to the durability of pokako, but it is much 
prized for this property in the North, where it is known by the name of 
Hinau. Mr. Kirk found mine props and tramway sleepers quite sound 
