THE WOMBAT. 1 5 



SOME NATIVE (VICTORIAN) WOODS. 



Sidney Johnson, State School, Portland. 



I propose in this short paper to direct the attention of turners, 

 wood carvers, and others interested in wood work, to a few 

 of our colonial woods suitable for ornamental work. For 

 those who, like myself, have a mania for lathe work, there is 

 a good number of native woods, for the most part easily 

 obtainable, which would amply repay the trouble of getting 

 them. Being an appropriator of inconsiderable trifles, when- 

 ever I am in a fresh locality I keep my eyes open for the- 

 acquisition of fresh specimens, and as the shrubs which furnish 

 them are mostly of small growth, a tomahawk, plus a little- 

 muscular Christianity, soon furnishes me with a supply. But 

 now comes the difficulty. These small, more or less round 

 specimens show a surprising spirit of unanimity in their readi- 

 ness to crack ; and it is truly exasperating to find, on examining 

 your collection a week or two after gathering, that, for the 

 most part they are useless. This may be remedied in two 

 ways, each of which has certain disadvantages connected 

 with it. First : as soon as you reach home with your speci- 

 mens, saw the ends square, and at once glue them, either 

 using glue alone, or else gluing a piece of brown paper to- 

 them. Probably a coat or two of paint would effect the same 

 purpose, as the object is to exclude the air, and so prevent 

 too rapid shrinkage. Then stack in cool shed with good 

 ventilation. As the time of seasoning varies from 6 months 

 to a couple of years, according to diameter of the wood, this 

 method is rather trying to one's patience. 



The foregoing remarks apply to the small dimensions say 

 from i^ to 4-5 inches. With larger specimens I find it better 

 to get my log at once to the mill, and have it sawn into planks 

 of a suitable thickness ; or else have the log quartered. Then 

 stack as before. 



HL T Hi 73l O KI EB R , 



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