170 Transactions.— Miscellaneous. 
and heart coarse in the grain, stringy and very tough. Some samples 
resemble very much English elm, and others English ash. The heart- 
wood generally runs in star-like points towards the cireumference, and there 
is frequently a well-defined and handsome figure in the boards. Full-grown 
trees have from one and a half to three and a half inches of sap all round. 
The strength of this timber has never been tested. It will belie its 
appearance very much, if not found to be one of the strongest in New 
Zealand. It is remarkably stringy and tough. Black heart birch is rather 
hard and stiff for joiner work, but is well adapted for framing and similar 
purposes where strength is required. Some of the figured samples would 
make handsome furniture. 
The lasting properties of this timber have never been thoroughly tested. 
Tt has been scarcely tried at all in Otago, and the experience in other 
provinces is very limited. Dr. Hector instances a fence in the province of 
Wellington that was in good preservation, after being erected 20 years, 
which is the only record I know of its durability.* 
This completes a description of the known Otago trees that yield build- 
ing materials in the proper sense of the term. There are many smaller 
trees and shrubs capable of producing useful and ornamental woods, but 
their consideration would extend my paper beyond reasonable limits, so I 
must leave them out. 
RECAPITULATION. 
In recapitulating the leading points of my subject, it will be necessary 
to revert shortly to the general properties of timber referred to at the outset, 
and consider the peculiarities of our native products in the order then 
given. 
Table No. II. gives the ordinary dimensions, amount of sap-wood, and 
approximate age of the principal Otago trees. It shows that class for class 
they are equal in size to those in other countries. The kowhai, rata, 
manuka, kamai, and black heart birch are on an average as large, if not 
larger, than oak, ash, elm, and beech, the English timbers for which they 
are substitutes, and with the exception of yellow pine and cedar, all our 
pines are considerably larger and more productive than their European and 
American prototypes. In like manner we show that the growth is more 
rapid in New Zealand than most other countries that produce ordinary 
building timber; consequently the reproduction of native trees, if it can be 
suecessfully accomplished is more profitable than the introduction of foreign 
ones. 
The proper season for felling timber in New Zealand is not yet fully 
determined. The late Mr. Balfour said ** probably it may be found that 
* N.Z. Parl, Papers, 1872. G. 16, p. 7. 
