XXXVII.] RIMU. 399. 



It is of straight growth, and attains a height of 60 to 

 80 feet, with a circumference of about S feet, the 

 branches being thrown out nearly horizontally at about 

 30 to 40 feet up the stem, and forming above this a fine 

 pyramidical head. The leaves are i to i^ inch in 

 length, and J^ to 5^ inch in breadth. The bark is thick, 

 smooth, and of a dark brown colour : it is used by the 

 natives to dye their garments either black or brown. 



The wood is close and straight in the grain, and 

 yellowish-white in colour, though not so light as that of 

 the Kauri. It has a close resemblance to the Huon 

 Pine of Van Diemen's Land. It works up well, is 

 tough and very strong; so much so that the New 

 Zealanders say it is the " strong man " among their 

 forest trees. 



The Tanakaha tree yields timber 10 to 16 inches 

 square, and 18 to 45 feet in length, and is employed for 

 masts, and for the decks of small vessels built for the 

 coasting trade ; it is found to answer admirably for these 

 purposes, and is also valuable to the carpenter as a 

 building material. 



The specific gravity of the seasoned wood is about 

 600, but logs which have been only felled a few weeks, 

 and therefore have their moisture only partially eva- 

 porated, will not float. 



RIMU [Dacrydium cupressinuin). 



This tree, closely allied to the last, is found in many 

 of the forests of New Zealand, and is one of the most 

 magnificent of the vegetable productions of that country. 

 It is tolerably abundant, prefers a rich alluvial soil, 

 moisture and shelter, and is rarely seen upon dry or 

 moderately elevated situations. 



