206 
as the trees of these kinds are purely endemic to this Colony, it 
follows that most of the quotations bearing this name refer only 
to the timbers of Western Australia. This fact is most satisfactory, 
and points emphatically to the valu ue of our forests, and how 
necessary it is that they should be properly weet after by 
systematic conservation in order to ensure their permanency. 
Our ti s from some cause seem to meet the requirements of 
e u 
Australia, apart altogether from the fact of their undoubted 
excellence, is that large quantities of the same kind of tree can 
be obtained from considerable areas without any material inter- 
mixture of other kinds. This fact is, of course, of very great 
advantage to timber getters, in that it tends to very materially 
lessen the working expenses of moving machinery, and all the 
other expenses incurred in rb diti with the securing of large 
quantities of one particular kind of timber. Our timber trees are 
chiefly gregarious. This is, fortunately, particularly the case with 
the two principal kinds, Jarrah and Karri, although, as a rule, the 
former is always found torming a sort of fringe to the latter, but 
never the latter to the former. This peculiarity of specially 
marked habitats for specific trees is a distinctive feature of the 
forests of Western Australia, and, as I have already indicated, ig 
one of the points of strength i in the disposal of her timbers 
Something over one million acres of forest land have now been 
leased from the Government for the purpose of acquiring the 
timber upon them. This is chiefly Jarrah country, and embraces 
some of the finest forests of that pa mee kind of tree. li 
has been taken up in blocks ranging in Pose one to over 
one hundred thousand acres, and, althoug x pue mall portion — 
of the whole is as yet being worked, the probabilities in this — 
respect in the near future are immense, and will soon reach — 
fabulous figures. At present there are only some forty saw mills — 
at full work in our forests, but even in connection with these os 
following interesting figures have been collected :—Stre 
power of mills, two er five hundred and fifty-four horse! z 
power ; number of all persons employed in connection with the 
working of the mills, two thousand five hundred and eighty ; 
number of horses and bull res focis ed upon the works, 
one thousand eight hundred and forty-seven; and length of 
private tramways and railways on the various properties, two  — 
hundred and fifty miles. Altogether it is calculated that, including — | 
their families, there is something like one-thirtieth of the popula- deb 
tion of the Colony dependent upon the timber industry for = d 
support. This is gradually increasing, so that it will be seen - 
that forests play a very important part in the welfare of ge E 
A Department of Woods and Forests has now been pretty well E. 
id: and its general usefulness as regards the control and 2 
management of this enormous natural wealth of the tim 
| the is begin ized 
