20 



yet this Colony, with all its pine forests, fails to supply timber to case its 

 own butter. I believe tbe wood to be a suitable one for the purpose, but 

 some of our northern saw-millers hardly realise that they are allowing a good 

 trade to slip away. Colonial pine is very light when well seasoned, and it 

 may be cheaply coated with a thin layer of paraffin, if necessary. 



JDistrihution. — Prom the Bellinger Eiver to' Northern Queensland, the 

 timber obtained from the high lands near the sources of the northern rivers 

 being far superior in quality to that growing on the low lauds near the 

 coast. 



Quaniity available. — ^Fairly abundant. 



(g) Brown Pine {Podocarpus data, E. Br.) 



"We have another timber allied to "colonial pine," but much harder and 

 more durable, namely, that one which is variously known as " brown pine," 

 " she-piae," " plum pine," and "berry pine." The timber is used for mis- 

 cellaneous purposes, like " colonial pine," but its most A-aluable property is 

 its resistance to white ants and Teredo. Eound piles of this timber, with the 

 bark on, are all but proof against the attacks of Teredo (cobra), even in 

 brackish water. In fact, some saw-millers say that its power of resistance 

 to marine borers is absolute, but I doubt this, although it is very rarely 

 touched. 



(h) Cypress Pine (CaZZi^fris, of which i'reweZa is a synonym). 



Name. — Under the general name of cypress pine we include a number of 

 Australian trees which, though not true cypresses, more or less resemble 

 those trees in general appearance. They belong to the genus Callitris, and 

 are very closely related to the North African tree (C. quadrivalvis), which 

 produces the sandarach of commerce. Our principal species are known as 

 red or black pine (Oallitris calcarata, E.Br.), Murray or white pine {C. 

 verrucosa, E. Br.), Eichmond Eiver cypress pine (C eolumellaris, F. v. M.), 

 ■and Port Macquarie pine (0. Macleayana, P. v. M.) 



Characteristics. — Its pleasant odour, — camphoraceous, or sometimes 

 Teminding one .of sandal- wood. Its great power of resistance to insect 

 pests. It is said to be absolutely resistant to white ant, but that is over- 

 stating the case. Nevertheless cypress pine is about the very last timber 

 that white ants will attack. Some of the species, the red or black pine in 

 particular, produce very showy timber ; in fact many of the planks are so 

 .gorgeous in appearance that care is required in using it for decorative pur- 

 poses, lest it should have too overpowering an effect. At the same time 

 much of the timber is of a quiet handsome character. The prevailing colour 

 t)f the figure is brown of various shades. Drawbacks to cypress pine timber 

 are its brittleness ; it will therefore stand but little transverse strain, and a 

 nail can hardly be driven into the wood without previous boring, for fear of 

 splitting the timber. Another drawback is its great inflammability. It may 

 be readily dressed up to a smooth and glossy surface. 



Principal uses. — It is extensively used in buildings liable to attack by 

 white ants, and I think if its value were better known in the coast districts 

 it would be employed to a greater extent. It is used to an enormous extent 

 a couple of hundred miles and more back from the coast for house-blocks, 

 linings, and ceilings of houses. Land carriage would efEectually stand in 

 the way of our profitably shipping this timber, even if an outside demand 

 were to spring up for it, of which we have no evidence at present. It is one 

 of the most luxurio.us firewoods I know of ; it burns well, and in burnin" 



