THE TIMBERS OF COMMERCE 



No. 1 06. BLACKBUTT. Eucalyptus pilularis. Sm. 



As Fig. 69. Plate VIII. 



Natural Order. Myrtaceae. 



Synonyms. E. semicorticata F. v. M. E. incrassata Sieb. 

 E. ornata Sieb. E. persiciflora D.C. The E. pilularis D.C. is 

 E. viminalis. Labill., and not the present species. 



Alternative Names. Tcheergun. Toi in Queensland (5). 

 Mahogany (60). Flintwood (85). White-top : Benaroon : 

 Willow : Mountain Ash (12). 



Sources of Supply. New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria. 



Physical Characters, etc. Recorded dry-weight 46 to 59! lbs. 

 per cu. ft. Hardness Grade 3, compare Blackthorn. Smell 

 none. Taste astringent. Burns well, with a lively crackling 

 flame : embers do not glow in still air, but leave the carbonized 

 wood. Said to be inflammable. Solution brown. 



Grain. Coarse and open, but very dense. Surface dull. 



Bark. " Persistent at the base of the tree, but falling off in 

 strips from the upper part of the trunk and branches " (5). 

 " Sub-fibrous " (67). 



Uses, etc. " House-building and fencing in Queensland. 

 Tough, durable and strong " (5). " Flooring-boards, telegraph- 

 poles and sleepers " (52). " Particularly recommended for 

 paving " (92). " First-class timber for general building pur- 

 poses, liable to crack and open, subject to pin-holes " (27). 

 " Size, 50-150 high by 2-4 ft. diameter " (15). " Often 

 confused with Tallow-wood " (27). " Excellent for strength 

 and durability : bridge-planking, decking, piles, paving-blocks : 

 warps and twists when exposed to the sun " (67). Hard to saw : 

 pieces rip out during planing. 



Authorities. F. M. Bailey (5), p. 70. Kew Guide, (57), No. 3, 

 pp. 49, 51 and 68. Boulger (15), p. 169. Laslett (60), p. 251. 

 Russell (52), jp. 7, with mechanical tests. Petsche (92), p. 123. 

 Maiden (67). De Coque (27). 



Colour. Rosy yellow (92). Light grey (52). Khaki or 

 uniform greyish-brown, with lighter sap-wood. 



Anatomical Characters. As those of Tuart, No. 104 (which see), 

 with the following trifling differences : — 



Transverse Section. Conspicuous, little variation in size. 

 Rings very doubtful, chiefly indicated by the change in the 

 arrangement or number of the pores : no definite boundary : 

 contour regular. " Often gum-veins in circles " (27). 



Radial Section. A shade lighter than the transverse, pores 

 prominent, open, clearly-cut lines, darker in colour than the 

 ground-tissue, and often running obliquely to each other. 



Type specimens authenticated by F. M. Bailey and R. T. 

 Baker. 



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