14 



Characteristics. — Its red colour, its strength and durability, resistance to 

 fungus diseases, white ants, teredo, &c. In common with many of its 

 congeners, it is very hard to work up wlien dTy, A drawback to this 

 admittedly valuable timber is some tendency to shell off, which limits its use 

 for such purposes as flooring and decking. 



Principal uses. — Its durability causes it to be largely used in the colonies 

 for posts and piles in damp ground. It is largely employed in Victoria for 

 railway sleepers, for which purpose it is undoubtedly valuable, though 

 inferior to ironbark. It is an excellent girder-wood. It is a good timber 

 for wood-paving, though inferior to some others by reason of its tendency 

 to warp and shrink during the process of seasoning. 



Distribution. — Eiver banks of the interior, but particularly abundant and 

 readily available in the valleys of the rivers Murray (which forms the 

 greater part of the boundary between New South "Wales and Victoria) and 

 Edwards, one of its tributaries. As regards the Murray, nearly the whole 

 of the red gum is on the- New South Wales side. 



QSiantity available. — Practically unlimited, as the forests where the red 

 ■gum grows are liable to inundation, and therefore not available for settle- 

 ment. For geographical reasons no red gum is shipped at a New South 

 "Wales port, most of this timber going to Victoria. 



(d) Forest Red Gum {Eucalyptus tereticornis, Sm.) 

 Name. — This Iree is very closely related to the Murray red gum, which is 



always found near watercourses, or on alluvial country. The tree at present 



under notice is always found in open forest country ; hence I recommend 



the adoption of the prefix " forest " to red gum, the name by which it is very 



commonly known, with the view to save confusion. 



Other local names. — Blue and grey gum, and even others, but these names 



are beat reserved for other trees. 



Characteristics. — Of a deep red colour, hard and inloeked in the grain, 



heavy and durable. Apt to warp in seasoning, and with properties much 



the same as Murray red gum. 



Friticipal uses. — Much esteemed for fence-posts, its great durability for 

 this purpose having been long established. Used also for naves and felloes 

 of wheels, and for general building purposes. Its merits and defects are 

 much the same as those of Murray red gum, and I draw attention to it as a 

 meritorious timber for wood-blocks. 



Dis/ribution.—'Wiie^j distributed in the Colony throughout its entire 

 length, in the coast and coast mountain districts, and table-lands. It attains 

 its best development south of Sydney. 



Quantify available. — Abundant. 



(e) Sydney Blue Gum {Eucalyptus saligna, Sm.) 

 (An illustrated article on this timber will be found in the Agricultural Gazette for 



November, 1894.) 

 Name. — This timber requires some distinctive designation to prevent its 

 confusion with the pale-coloured blue gum of Tasmania and Victoria. I 

 have elsewhere called it New South Wales blue gum, by way of distinction, 

 but as this is such a ponderous name, that of " Sydney blue gum" may be 

 more acceptable. 



Other local names. — In the south coast district sometimes it is called 

 " woollybutt," because of its confusion with the true wooUybutt, the two 



