168 Transactions.— Miscellaneous. 
This timber is generally of a uniformly reddish colour throughout, with | 
little or no figuring or markings. It is straight grained and splits freely, 
but not nearly so smooth as silver birch. The sap-wood is of a dirty yellow 
colour, and well defined ; it ranges in thickness from two tô three inches 
in four feet trees, but those grown on swampy land have much more. Red 
birch is the strongest of native softwoods tested at the New Zealand Exhibi- 
tion: according to these tests it is nearly 60 per cent. stronger than 
English oak. It has also a great advantage over many of the other Otago 
timbers that stand heavy strains in being so uniformly straight grained and 
fibrous as to give good warning before breaking. Like its near relation 
English oak, this timber shrinks very much in seasoning, as will be seen 
by Table III. I found boards to contract as much as one-tenth of their 
width. This shows the absolute necessity of having the timber thoroughly 
well seasoned, but it is otherwise no serious defect, for notwithstanding the 
excessive shrinkage there was little warping in the boards. 
On account of its superior strength, red birch is better adapted-for beams 
and general framing than any other Otago softwood, and it is equal to all 
except white-pine and silver birch for general joiner-work. In reporting 
to the University Council eighteen months ago on the subject, I said that 
red birch was “not suitable for internal furnishing of houses." This 
opinion was based on the idea that it became very hard with age. I now 
find that such is not the case. The hard samples turned out to be kamai, 
and a number of old red birch specimens since obtained are all tolerably 
soft and flexible. In addition to the uses just mentioned, this timber is 
suitable for piles, sleepers, and other engineering purposes. In short, it is 
more capable of universal adaptation than any other Otago timber. 
Our experience in Otago of the durability of red birch is comparatively 
limited. It has hitherto been little used, except as fencing in Upper South- 
land, and for building purposes in the Wakatipu district, but its lasting 
qualities have been fully tested and universally acknowledged in the 
northern provinces. The well-known Waiau-ua bridge, erected by Mr. 
Blackett in Nelson thirteen years ago, entirely of this timber, is still 
perfectly sound, and fencing posts in Wellington are in the same condition 
after fifteen years use. Mr. Cameron, of the Dome Station in Southland, 
informs me that he has seen red birch posts quite sound after standing for 
fourteen years in the ground; and twenty miles of fencing erected by him 
on the Five Rivers Station, in 1867-8, is still in good preservation. I also 
show the following examples as proofs of the durability of red birch. 
1st. Piece of split timber that has lain in the West Taieri Bush for 
ten years. 
2nd. Portion of fencing post, eight years in the ground, at Tuapeka 
Mouth. 
