170 JEsmys. 



liner calls " its native element." I have been informed tliat tlie ownership 

 of some of the largest trees is known and recognized years before they are 

 ever made use of ; and I have had totara trees pointed out to me which, 

 while yet comparatively young, have been subjected to an operation which 

 had for its object the lightening of the subsequent labour of hollowing them 

 out. This operation consists in taking off the bark and a portion of the 

 wood from one side of the tree to a height equivalent to the projected length 

 of the canoe. As the tree grows after this ojDeration, the bark and young- 

 wood swell up on either side of the wound, so that when the tree is ulti- 

 mately cut down it presents a longitudinal depression, with a gunwale on 

 either side formed by nature. One cannot but admire the ingenuity thus 

 shown by savages, provided with no better tools than stone hatchets, in 

 taking advantage of the operation of nature to lighten their work. 



The rimu {I)acrydmm cupressimmn) yields a very useful timber, strong 

 and handsome, but, unless thoroughly seasoned, much given to shrinking 

 and warping. Always of a rich brown, the fibre of this wood sometimes 

 approaches the colour of mahogany, and is beautifully veined. It is thus 

 much in request among furniture makers, and, in consequence of its 

 strength and toughness, is preferred by some of them to every other New 

 Zealand timber. A considerable variety of handsomely-grained and showy 

 woods for cabinet-makers' purposes is obtained from many of the smaller 

 trees of our forests. The titoki {Alectryon excelsum)^ the akeake (Dodoncea 

 viscosa), the ngaio (JSIyoporum Icekim), and above all, the rewarewa 

 {Kniylitia excelsa) , yield wood out of which some very beautiful pieces of 

 furniture have been made. In the hands, for instance, of Mr. Seuffert, 

 of Auckland, these woods, worked up with others, have contributed to the 

 construction of tables, cabinets, work-boxes, and other similar articles, 

 which for general richness of appearance cannot be surpassed anywhere. 



The rata {lletrosideros lucida) is not very common in the South 

 Island, but, occurring as it does in several places in tolerable abundance, it 

 must not be passed over in any enumeration of the economical woods of the 

 country. The timber it yields is very hard, heavy, and tough, and is prized 

 by wheel"v\Tights and manufacturers of agricultural implements. To similar 

 purposes is applied the timber of the maire {Eugenia onaire). Where 

 strength and durability are required, lightness being a secondary object, 

 this timber is superior to any other. 



The various species of Fayus, which have been described as the character- 

 istic tree of the island, are hardly ever cut into boards and scantling. 

 The timber is excessively tough and hard to cut, to such an extent as to 

 necessitate the repeated sharpening of the saws. A very intelligent and 

 well-educated owner of a saw-mill informed me that this was so much the 



