2GS Ussaf/s. 



(sandfly) ; and for several years they Lave used as purgative medicines the 

 juice of the root of the New Zealand flax (^Phormium) , and the bark of the 

 kowhai (ISdivardsia grandijlord) ; as a tonic,, the leaves of the kohekohe 

 (^Bysoxylwm spectahile) ; as a demulcent, in colds, &c., the bark of the 

 houhere {Ilolieria pojyulned) ; as a diaphoretic, Mentha cunningliamii ; and, 

 as slightly alterative, a decoction of the bark and stems of the piidarero 

 {Glematis liexasepald), and the root of the tataraheke (^Goprosma acerosa). 



24. Touching the ceconomie botany of the present time — or asra of 

 New Zealand colonization — not a little has been already done by the eaxdy 

 settlers to show the uses, qualities, and values of many of the tim.bers, and 

 other vegetable substances of the !N"orth Island of New Zealand. Indeed, 

 several of her botanical productions are better known in the old world than 

 those of much older colonies. In now considering these, it is purposed to 

 do so more with reference to their utility, &c., than to their botanical 

 sequence or arrangement. Consequently the principal timber trees will be 

 first noticed. 



(1.) The chief timber-producing trees — i.e., those which are usually 

 sawn into boards for common purposes — are seven in number, all being 

 botanically classed under the natural family Conifercs ; although really 

 possessing among them only one true pine. This is the far-famed and 

 justly celebrated kauri (Dammara australis), the largest and most useful of 

 all the New Zealand timber trees. This stately tree grows commonly to the 

 height of 140-150 feet ; a few reach to 170 or even 200 feet. In general, 

 it has a clean trunk 50 to 60 feet in height before reaching the branches 

 (which are enormously large, and diverge around the stem from one spot), 

 with a barrel of 8 or 9 feet, tapering gradually to 5 or 6 feet. The largest 

 clean and perfect barrel seen by the writer was 12 feet in diameter ; and the 

 largest spar recorded was cut at the Hokianga Eiver in 1839 ; it measured 

 108 feet in length, without a knot, and was 2 feet square at the smaller end. 

 In a kauri forest the spar trees are in proportion as one to four or five to 

 the tree fit for sawing. Of this timber there are three varieties known in 

 the market, — the white, the red, and the mottled (the last being rather 

 scarce), which are not botanically distinct. The light-coloured wood has 

 the straightest grain, and is said to be less brittle when dry, and easier to 

 work ; the darker kind will admit of a good polish, and is a handsomer wood 

 than the former, but it is only the m^ottled variety that can be considered a 

 fancy wood ; this kind sometimes resembles bird's-eye maple or knotted oak, 

 and makes really handsome picture-frames and pannelling, and takes a good 

 polish. The colour of the varieties of kauri wood varies from a light straw 

 to a reddish light-brown ; fancy pieces may often be met with delicately 

 marked and variegated, with a wavy flowing appearance, which also takes a 



