156 



The fruits can be provisionally classified according to the columella,- 

 \iz. : — 



Columella, a single triangular pyramid: verrucosa, rohusta, cohimellaris, 

 propinqua, Muelleri. Columella, more than one, and irregular in shape 

 (perhaps formed of aborted ovules) : calcarata, cupressiformis, Macleayana. 



Some of the fruits have points on the scales or valves. For example, 

 C calcarata was specifically named because " of these points. They are 

 marked in 0. cupressiformis, particularly in Ihe variety mucronata. The 

 fruits of. O. verrucosa are covered with rotinded wart-like swellings, as has 

 already been stated. 



Baric. — Messrs. Baker and Smith have drawn attention to. the astringent 

 properties of the bark of the Cypress Pines, and are endeavouring to 

 develop the industry of employing it for tanning. Previously it was rejected 

 as useless. 



Timber. — The following notes are of a general character; others vdll be 

 found under each species : — 



Gharacteristics. — Its pleasant odour — camphoraceous, or sometimes 

 reminding 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 overstating 

 the case. Messrs. Sulman and Power, architects, in 1893 showed me a piece 

 of Cypress Pine that had been undoubtedly attacked by white ants. Never- 

 theless, Cypress Pine is about the very last timber that white ants will 

 attack. It lasts well in the ground, yet it is not the most durable timber for 

 posts in parts of our western districts, but its great practical advantage is 

 the facility with which it splits. Some of the species, -the Eed 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 decora- 

 tive purposes les't it should have too overpowering an effect. At the same 

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

 colour of the figure is brown of various shades. Drawbacks to Cypress Pine 

 timber are its brittleness ; it has none of the soft yielding characters of 

 Baltic Deal or Califomian Redwood. 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 

 gi'eat inflammability. It may readily be 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 

 ctoupl'e of hundred niilesi or more back If rom the coast for house-blocks, liningS, 

 and ceilings of houses. Land carriage would effectually 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 

 luxurious firewoods I know of; it Ijurns well, and in burning emits a delicious 

 fragrance very generally admired. My idea is that the small pieces pro- 

 duced in sawmills would sell at a remunerative price, as a superior kind of 

 fuel for drawing-rooms, &c., if people could only readily obtain it. This 

 may appear to be only a trifling matter, but I think that minor uses of our 

 timbers" (and above all, utilisation of waste) should be looked to. In 

 developing such enterprises of magnitude as the wood-block trade, or the 

 getting out of railway sleepers and timbers for bridge work, \ve should not 

 lose sight of the smaller possibilities of some of our timbers. Nevertheless, 



