102 THE TIMBER OF TASMANIA. — BLUE GUJI. 



islands in Bass's Straits, and it has been found upon the Australian mam- 

 land by Dr. Mueller. It is a fast-growing tree while young, and, when 

 standing well apart, it assumes a very elegant shape, and presents a great 

 profusion of rich, massive foliage. It is now being introduced into New 

 Zealand and the Cape of Good Hope, for the sake of its rapid growth, and 

 the value of its timber. Blue gum has been extensively used in the ship- 

 yards of the colony for keels, and for the timbers and planking of vessels — 

 for which the great lengths in which it can be procured particularly adapt 

 it. It is used for ships' tree-nails and for boat-building ; also for house- 

 building, for shingles, and for the internal fitting of houses ; for piles and the 

 construction of bridges and wharves ; for machinery, farming implements, 

 and for the erection of fences, &c. By distillation, the leaves of the blue 

 gum yield an abundant supply of a strong essential oil, which has been 

 found to possess the active and valuable medicinal properties of the 

 " cajeput oil" of commerce. From lesions in the bark of this tree, of the 

 Eucalyptus gigantea, and of some other species of the same genus in the 

 island, a bright red and highly astringent gum exudes, and hardens on 

 exposure, which is successfully used in medicine as a " kino." One species 

 of this genus produces, by exudation, after puncturation by an insect, and 

 exsiccation of the juice, a delicate white saccharine substance, known as 

 "manna" in the colony. Another species, " Cider tree" inhabiting the 

 high tableland, known as "the Lake Country," yields, by incision of the 

 bark, large quantities of saccharine juice, which is said to be slightly intoxi- 

 cating when drunk in considerable quantity. 



The blue gum derives its name from the bluish grey bloom with which, 

 when young, it is covered. The outer layer of bark dries and peels off 

 periodically, leaving a smooth bark of a bright buff colour, which soon 

 changes to the aforesaid grey. The trees grown on the hills afford better 

 timber than those of the valleys, and the timber of the north side of the 

 island is deemed inferior to that of the south. It is stronger when dry 

 than when green, but is used extensively in the latter state for shipbuilding 

 in the colony, as it is then much easier worked. The " Harpley," 

 built of blue gum, fresh cut from the bush near Launceston, was found to 

 be unsound in her timbers when bored in London. When, however, this 

 wood has been properly seasoned, which requires, by the present sytem, 

 two years, no such indication is apparent ; and Mr. Watson, the well- 

 known builder of Hobart Town, has declared, in all his experience in 

 repairs of colonial built vessels, he has never observed any appearance of 

 dry rot. The timbers of the " William," a brig of 121 tons, built at 

 Launceston, were found, after a lapse of fifteen years, to be perfectly 

 sound. Mr. Watson proposes that the trees should be "killed" in the 

 month of May, and left standing for six months, then felled and cut into 

 planks or logs, and put into the water for three months. Spars can be 

 obtained from the blue gum of sufficient length and girth for the largest 

 class of ships, but the wood is not very suitable for this purpose, on account 

 of its great specific gravity, which is above that of water. For kelsons, 



