T. KiKK. — On the neglected Forest Products of New Zealand. 141 



The heap is kindled by au opening made at the top, and others near the 

 base ; after burning for three or four days these are closed, and other holes 

 are made in the sides about half-way between the base and the apex. The 

 holes must be closed whenever it is seen that combustion is too rapid, and 

 care must be taken to fill up any depression that may arise from this cause. 

 When smoke ceases to be given off all the holes are closely stopped, 

 and the hea^D is allowed to cool for three or four days, when the cover is 

 removed and any charcoal that may still be in a burning condition is ex- 

 tinguished by water. 



In many places the site of the mound is formed into a funnel-shapad 

 depression with a hole in the centre, which communicates with a ditch dug 

 on the outside to enable the tarry matters to be drained off. 



Charcoal intended to be used in the manufacture of the finer kinds of 

 gunpowder is subjected to combustion in large iron retorts furnished with 

 refi'igerating condensers, by which means nearly the whole of the volatile 

 products can be readily obtained. 



Woodivare. 

 It may be admitted that manufactured articles can scarcely be included 

 under "Neglected Forest Products," without using the phrase in a very 

 elastic manner ; but before closing this short series of papers, I may be 

 permitted to refer to the importation of certain kinds of woodware requir- 

 ing a very limited expenditure of labour, and that of a very simple char- 

 acter, such as rolling-pins, washing-boards, clothes pegs, tubs, buckets, 

 pails, etc., etc. 



It is to say the least a singular anomaly that simple articles of this 

 kind are imported from the United States of North America and other 

 countries to the amount of ^610, 000 per annum, while material that could 

 be utilized in their manufacture is burnt in enormous quantities, or allowed 

 to rot on the ground, and our artizans are unable to obtain employment. 



Tawa, one of om- most common timbers, is specially adapted for the 

 manufacture of all the articles named ; for the smaller kinds, such as 

 clothes pegs and rolling-pins, it can be procured in almost unhmited quan- 

 tity at little more than the actual cost of carriage. 



There must be something radically wrong when simple manufactured 

 goods of this kind, weighted as they are with heavy charges for freight and 

 import duties, can be placed on the New Zealand markets in the face of the 

 unlimited supply of raw material at our command. The cause of this 

 anomalous condition of matters cannot be discussed here, but I may allude 

 to it in order that the attention of settlers may be drawn to the subject. 



In country districts intervals of wet weather might often be profitably 

 utilized in manufacturing the simpler kinds of woodware. In most cases 



