154 Transactions.— Miscellaneous. 
half in ordinary trees. The large one cut at Catlin River had two inches 
at the butt and three at the top. 
This tree is very much subject to heart decay ; probably a third of the 
aged trees in the Blueskin and Kaihiku districts are more or less affected 
in this way, but those on lower ground on Catlin River are nearly all sound. 
The decay is usually a core three or four inches in diameter, but occa- 
sionally reaching seven inches, and having similar patches throughout other 
parts of the trunk. This is a serious objection so far as economical cutting 
up is concerned, but it does not affect the durability of the timber, as the 
decay ceases as soon as the tree is felled. Although a roughness of bark 
does not always indicate a hollow heart, it has been observed that a smooth 
one is a sure indication of sound timber. Cedar has been objected to as 
subject to excessive and irregular shrinkage and warping, but my experience 
of it does not warrant such a conclusion. I believe that the sound timber 
is as little subject to these defects as any other of the pines. 
Hitherto this timber has been little used, except for fencing posts, house 
blocks, piles, and railway sleepers; but it is suited for ordinary house 
framing, and other purposes of a similar character, where great strength is 
not requred ; the straighter grained portions would make shingles, mould- 
ings, and small cabinet-work. I am assured that good samples work as 
freely as clear pine. 
I have already referred to the low opinion entertained of this timber 
by leading authorities. It is further described as not durable by Dr. Hector, 
Mr. Buchanan, and the Jurors of the New Zealand Exhibition. I cannot 
understand how it could have got into such bad repute, for I can find no 
evidence against it; on the contrary, there is abundant proof that cedar is 
one of the most durable timbers in Otago—even the sap-wood lasts for 
years in situations where the heart of many other pines would fail. Much 
of the timber found on the ranges, where no tree has lived for centuries, and 
which is still in good preservation, is cedar. I show several samples found 
on the bare ranges at Kaihiku. There isa fence of this timber at Tokomai- 
riro twenty-two years old. Mr. James Elder Brown sent mea post in 1872, the 
heart-wood of which was quite fresh, and he said that the whole fence, about 
thirty-five chains long, was in the same condition. I show a portion of a cedar 
post taken a fortnight since from a stockyard on the old Waikouaiti Road, 
near Flagstaff, erected twenty-three years ago. The heart-woodisas soundas 
when the tree was felled, and the sap is only decayed for a short distance at 
the ground level. All the posts in the enclosure are in the same condition ; 
they average from ten to twelve inches in diameter, with about one and 
a half inches of sap-wood. Mr. Peter Thompson, Queen-street, has a sapling 
cedar four and a half inches diameter for a flagstaff; it has been eight years 
