50 On Colonial Timber Trees. 



The Stringybark requires no description, as it is so distinct 

 that it is impossible to confuse it with any other timber, 

 excepting the messmate, which in appearance looks like a 

 link between the stringybark and peppermint, and is 

 generally found in the localities between the peppermint 

 and stringybark. It is also a curious fact, that the messmate 

 on the flats, near the peppermint, partakes of the character 

 of the peppermint, and as it approaches the ranges and the 

 stringybark, it assimilates in character the stringybark timber. 



The Blackwood is a most useful timber ; valuable for 

 furniture and all indoor work, as also for the upper part or 

 bodies of railway and other carriages, but it will not bear 

 exposure to the weather without protection by varnish, &c. 



The blackwood has one most remarkable quality, and that 

 is, a very small amount of shrinkage ; I have seen it used 

 in furniture and carriage building nearly green, and it has 

 stood splendidly, with scarcely any perceptible shrinkage. 



The greatest drawback to all gum timbers* is their inclina- 

 tion to shrink, in fact they shrink endways of the grain, 

 and cast and pine in every possible way. The want of 

 attention to felling and seasoning may have a great deal to 

 do with this.- It must be borne in mind that the blackwood 

 (Acacia melonoxylon) is not one of the eucalypti, but an 

 acacia ; several of the acacise make good furniture. 



The Mountain or White Gum [Eucalyptus guiocalyx) 

 when freely or luxuriantly grown is of little use, except 

 for palings or shingles ; when grown slowly, it assumes more 

 the appearance of the blue gum, is cut for blue gum, and 

 sawn for the ordinary hard wood."f 



The Ironbark {E. sideroxylon) is a fine wood for some 

 purposes, but is apparently very heavy in proportion to its 

 strength ; it has been used in the building of railway 

 waggons, but did not stand well ; the timber does not 

 appear to last under constant exposure to weather, and is in 

 itself too non-elastic to bear the concussion to which it is 

 subjected in rolling stock on railways ; I have had no 

 experience of it for railway sleepers. 



The Red Gum (EucalyiJtus rostrata) appears to be one of 

 the most valuable of timbers, but it also varies exceedingly ; 



* Dr. Mueller makes 137 species of gums in Australia, 27 of which are 

 found in Victoria. 



t Dr. Mueller states, that the hlue gum of Tasmania {E. Globulus) is 

 found plentifully in many of the ranges of Victoria, and at the You Yangi 

 and Western Port. 



