THE TIMBERS OF COMMERCE 



Uses, etc. Tools, handles, oars, and for purposes for which 

 Ash is used. " Comes to market in the form of round logs 

 14-28 in. diameter by 12-18 ft. long. The dark wood is the best 

 and strongest. The bark frequently betrays the quality of the 

 wood " (Sinclair). ' This points to the fact that different species 

 are imported without distinction of name. As the systematic 

 name is uncertain, I have omitted many of the usual details : 

 those given apply to my type specimen only. 



Colour. Heart-wood of an almost uniform brown colour, with 

 darker lines (the pores) sharply defined from the white sap-wood. 



Anatomical Characters. Transverse section : — 



Pores. Conspicuous from their size, Grade 00 : very much 

 larger in the loose, i-rowed pore-ring than in the Autumn wood, 

 where they rapidly diminish, but not to vanishing point : not 

 much difference as the tree ages as in other Hickories : few 1-8 

 per sq. mm. : isolated single pores or in subdivided groups of 

 2-3 : nearly round when single. 



Rays. On the limit of vision, size 5-6 : very weak, avoiding 

 the pores : much less than a large pore-width apart, even as 

 many as 3-5 within that space : very numerous, 6-9 per mm. 

 Tapering to fine ends, which are about a pore-width apart. 



Rings. Very clear : boundary the coarse pore-ring : contour 

 undulating. 



Soft tissue. Excessively fine, continuous, concentric white 

 lines in the Autumn wood, much finer than the rays : also neatly 

 and narrowly encircling the pores. 



Pith. ? 



Radial Section. Pores conspicuous and coarse : grooves filled 

 with glistening thyloses. Rays very inconspicuous, minute, 

 colourless flakes. Rings not easily traceable. Soft-tissue visible 

 with lens as borders and continuations to the pores, but the 

 concentric lines are difficult to see even with the microscope 

 (2 inch objective). 



Type specimen from commercial sources, not authenticated. 



No. 186. SHE-OAK. Casuarina Fraseriana. Miq. 



Plate X. Fig. 90. 



Natural Order. Casuarineae. 



Source of Supply. Western Australia. 



Physical Characters, etc. Recorded dry-weight 45J lbs. per 

 cu. ft. Hardness Grade 6, compare Beech. Smell none. Taste 

 bitter. Burns fairly well with a lively, crackling flame and little 

 smell : embers glow in still air : heat expels some juice : ash grey. 

 Solution with water or alcohol yellow. 



Grain. Fine, open, and of great beauty of figure. Surface of 

 the ground lustrous, mottled with broad dull rays. 



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