4 NOTES ON THE VEGETABLE PRODUCTS OP TASMANIA. 



the colour of the fruit is similar to that of a Kentish cherry. Diameter, 



9 to 15 inches. Height, 20 to 30 feet. Sp. grav. about -785. Used for 

 tool handles, spokes, gun-stocks, &c. 



White-wood (Pittosporum bicolor, Hook.) — Wood white. Diameter, 

 8 to 13 inches. Height, 20 to 35 feet. Sp. grav. about "875. Used in 

 turnery. Probably fit for wood engraving. 



Native Box (Bursaria spinbsa, Cav.) — The leaves are somewhat like 

 those of the English box. Diameter, 8 to 12 inches. Height, 15 to 25 

 feet. Sp. grav. about - 825. Used for turnery. 



Pink-wood (Beyeria viscosa. — Croton viscosum, Lab.) — Diameter, 6 to 



10 inches. Height, 15 to 25 feet. Sp. grav. about "815. Used for 

 sheaves of blocks, and for turnery. 



Native Pear (Hakea lissosperma, Br.) — The woody seed-vessel is 

 somewhat pear-shaped. Diameter, 8 to 12 inches. Height, 29 to 30 

 feet. Sp. gravity about - 675. Fit for turnery. 



Scented Woods. — Tonga Bean Wood (Alyxia buxifolia, Br.) — The 

 odour is similar to that of the tonquin bean (JDipteryx odorata). A 

 straggling sea-side shrub, 3 to 5 inches in diameter. 



Native Box (Bursaria spinosa, Cav.) — The scent is pleasant, but 

 fleeting. 



Tanning Barks. — "Wattle Bark. — The bark of the black wattle 

 (Acacia mollissima, Wild.), the silver wattle {Acacia dealbata, Lindl.), 

 and the blackwood tree (Acacia melanoxylon, Br.) The first-named 

 yields the most valuable bark, and is common on dry stony hills. 



Fibres. — Currajong (Plagiantlius sidoides, Hook.) — The fibres of the 

 bark are very strong. It is a large shrub, found chiefly on the southern 

 side of the island, in ravines and shady places, and grows rapidly. 



Lyonsia (Lyonsia straminea, Br.) — Fibres of the bark fine and strong. 

 The lyonsia is met with, rather sparingly, in dense thickets, with its 

 stems hanging like ropes among the trees. 



Blue Gum {Eucalyptus globulus, Lab.) — The bark of this immense 

 tree yields a fibre which may, probably, be found available for making 

 the coarser kinds of paper. 



Stringy Bark (Eucalyptus gigantea, Hook, fils.) — The fibres of the 

 bark are similar to those of the blue-gum bark, but are not so strong, or 

 so fine. 



Fibrous Grass (Stipa semi-barbata, Br.) — After the seed has ripened 

 the upper part of the stem breaks up into fibre, which curls loosely and 

 hangs down, waving in the wind. The condition of the fibre at this time 

 is undoubtedly far inferior to what it would be if rightly prepared. 

 Common in some localities. 



Gums. — Kino. — This gum, which seems to have similar properties to 

 those of the East Indian " kino," exudes from the woods of all the Tas- 

 manian species of Eucalyptus. 



Wattle Gum, the gum of the Silver Wattle (Acacia dealbata, Lindl.), 



