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_ Vernacular Names. — " White Mahogany." This tree has a pale-coloured 

 timber, which bears no resemblance to the mahogany of commerce or to the 

 Eed or Forest Mahogany of New South Wales. It gets its name because of 

 its pale colour, and because the bark of the tree was thought to resemble 

 that of the Red Mahogany. The name is in universal use in the State, and 

 cannot now be disturbed. 



It is stated to be known as " Stringybark " at Eockingham Bay, Queens- 

 land, while " Broad-leaved Box " (a bad name, and likely to lead to con- 

 fusion) is also quoted for this species. 



Timher. — To say that it resembles Tallow-wood a good deal, but that it is 

 paler in colour, that it is not greasy, and harder than the better-known 

 timber, will perhaps give a good idea of it. It is one of the most durable 

 timbers in New South Wales. I know of posts of it in different parts of the 

 State quite sound after the vicissitudes of more than half a century. Its 

 chief drawback is some tendency to shell off. Users of it have even gone so 

 far as to assure me that it is far more durable than Ironbark or Box. It is 

 a tough, strong-, useful timber. I believe it will be found an excellent 

 timber for wood-blocks, but I would discourage exportatioh of it at present 

 except under close supervision, as I have known Stringybark substituted for 

 it, perhaps through inadvertence. Its hardness is a drawback, and the trees 

 are sometimes unsound; but it is so good a timber that I would invite our 

 timber men to give more attention to it in future It is one of those timbers 

 which is not so well known as it should be, because it has been constantly 

 confused with others. It is excellent for posts, piles, girders, &c., and is 

 useful for general building purposes. It would be desirable to thoroughly 

 ' test it for the decking of bridges. 



Mr. E. T. Baker says that it promises well for golf club heads, being hard 

 and close-grained, and not too heavy. 



Is White Mahogany Durable^: 



Doubt has been cast on the durability of White Mahogany. For example, 

 Mr. J. V. de Coque has published the following statement : — 



This timber bears no resemblance in colour to the Refl Mahogany, but is 

 remarkably like the light-coloured Tallow-wood; in fact, it takes au experi- 

 enced eye to detect any difference in the two timbers. It is often substituted 

 for Tallow-wood, and unfortunately is not equal to it in durability or value. 

 Unlike Tallow- wood, it shrinks a good deal in seasoning, and is much more 

 open in grain. For general purposes it should only rank as a third-class hard- 

 wood, and when called upon to stand exposure should be avoided. 



The late Augustus Eudder (one of the best of New South Wales foresters) 

 wrote : 



In brushy places this tree attains to a considerable size up to 5 feet In 

 diameter, but in the open it is usually smaller. It is one of our Strlngybarks, 

 and is fairly plentiful along the Northern Coast country. The wood of this 

 ti'ee Is hard, and very close in the grain, but splits easily, and is very similar 

 in appearance to that of Tallow.-wood. The principal defects of this timber 

 are a tendency to rings and pin-holes. For lasting In the ground, as far as I 

 know, It has no equal. I have seen fence-posts of It quite sound after being 

 in use for over fifty years. 



When on a trip along the central North Coast districts some years ago, I 

 published the note — 



Occurs from about Booral to Gloucester, and then along the coast at least 

 as far as Kempsey. Irregularly distributed with Striugybark (E. cugenioides, 



