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1. — JARRAH (Eucalyptus marginata). 



This is the principal timber tree of the State. Owing- to its resemblance to 

 a Honduras timber, in the early clays it was called mahogany, but about 1860, as 

 it was realised that this was a better timber and that it has so many fine qualities 

 as to deserve a name of its own, the tree was given its aboriginal name of Jarrah. 



Attaining a height of from 100 to 120 feet, the tree has a bole of about half 

 this amount, and a diameter of six feet. The bark, which is furrowed and flaky, 

 but which can be stripped off in long' pieces, is rough, fibrous, and in colour dark 

 grey. The flowers are of a yellowish-white. In accordance with an identifying 

 characteristic of all Eucalyptus trees, when the flowers wither the calyx (i.e., the 

 basal portion, as opposed to the coloured portion, the filaments) remains and forms 

 the fruit. In the case of the Jarrah, the fruit or persistent calyx is half-inch in 

 diameter, and almost globular, but slightly flattened on the top with a broad rim 

 or ring. Inside this ring is the ovary, which opens when the seeds are ripe. 



Weight per cubic foot (green) — >681bs. 



At 12 per cent, moisture — 551bs. 



Transverse strength — 15,0001bs. per square inch. 



Tensile strength — 15,5001bs. per square inch. 



A hard wood, but easily worked, and therefore used for almost every purpose. 

 It is strong enough to be used for beams, and its colour and texture are such that 

 it is daily becoming more and more prominent as a cabinet wood. One of its 

 remarkable qualities is its durability when exposed to the worst conditions. The 

 timbering in the first houses built when the Colony Avas established is still sound 

 to-day, and the post-and-rail fences erected by the earliest settlers are still stand- 

 ing. Its extraordinary durability has, however, rather cheapened it in the eyes 

 of the outside world, where it has commanded a readier sale as a sleeper or 

 paving block wood than for purposes where most expensive wood is generally 

 used. It is to be regretted that the exploitation of the jarrah forests has been 

 conducted practically solely for the sleeper market. Since 1836, the export of 

 timber from the State amounted to 3,992,997 loads, valued at £16,199,342, the 

 bulk of which consisted of jarrah. 



It is on Lloyd's list of shipbuilding Avoods, and jarrah ships in the early days 

 plied betAveen "Western Australia, India, and other parts of the Avorld. Its dura- 

 bility has made it renoAvned for bridge, Avharf, and harbour work, Avhile the 

 telegraph service of the State is dependent upon supplies of jarrah poles. 



It is to be found scattered throughout the South- West oA'er some 13,000,000 

 acres of country Avithin the 25 to loin, rainfall belt. The main belt of timber, 

 hoAvever, stretches from ChidloAv in the North, along the Darling Range to the 

 extreme South of the State, in the neighbourhood of Albany. The total area of 

 prime jarrah forests is probably not more than 2,500,000 acres, and is all on this 

 laterite-eapped range of hills. 



It regenerates itself well, but the constant firing of forests has resulted in 

 the destruction of the young growth in many parts of the forests. The recoA^ery 

 in milling operations is from 35 to 45 per cent, of the round log. 



