THE TIMBERS OF COMMERCE 



Radial Section. Of a lighter shade than the Transverse. 

 Pores readily visible, mostly empty grooves of medium coarse- 

 ness, often with a drop of yellow resin. Rays, broad, dull, bold, 

 brownish flakes, resembling those of the Plane-tree. Rings not 

 traceable. 



Tangential Section. As the Radial, but the pores straggle out 

 of their original plane at times. The rays are bold spindle- 

 shaped lines forming a reticulation with the ground-tissue : 

 about 7*o mm. high by 0*5 broad. 



Type specimen bears the label of the Technological Museum, 

 Sydney. 



No. 163. NATIVE PEAR. Xylomelum occidentale. 



R. Br. 



Plate XII. Fig. 102. 



Natural Order. Proteaceae. 



Source of Supply. Western Australia. 



The same popular name is applied to X. salicinum (5), X. 

 pyriforme. Kn., and Hakea acicularis (57). 



Physical Characters, etc. Recorded dry-weight 43} lbs. per 

 cu. ft. Hardness Grade 7, compare Birch. Smell none. Taste 

 none or slightly astringent. Burns well, embers glow in still 

 air. Solution with water or alcohol (cold), crimson ; of deeper 

 colour if hot. The colouring matter is almost entirely extracted. 

 The wood would lose much of its fine colour if left exposed to 

 the rain. 



Grain. Rather coarse and open. Surface of the rays of a 

 silky lustre, of the ground bright, of the pores dull. A beautiful 

 play of light upon every part. 



Bark. Coarse, fibrous, about \ inch thick, deciduous, made 

 up of strong, bristly fibres very lightly held together like the 

 bristles of a broom and come away at a touch ; dark red. 



Uses, etc. An exceptionally beautiful wood. It combines a 

 colour rivalling Mahogany with a figure more beautiful than that 

 of Oak. Would be highly prized if obtainable of sufficient 

 dimensions and properly seasoned. Liable to split if hurriedly 

 dried: works well and easily with all tools: brittle: planes 

 readily to a smooth surface. 



Authorities. Kew Cat. (57), p. 72. 



Colour. Blood-red : dark crimson to brownish-red heart- 

 wood irregularly shaped, defined from the light-brown sap-wood 

 which is from \ to § inch wide. 



Anatomical Characters. Transverse section : — 



Pores. Very clear from their size and colour : size 2-3, large, 

 rather variable in no particular order : evenly distributed, single 



186 



