THE TIMBERS OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 189 



THE TIMBERS OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 

 By J. V. De Coque. 



[Read before the Royal Society of N. 8. Wales, August 1, 1894J] 



I need hardly state that the study of the timbers of this Colony 

 opens up to the student a wide field for investigation. It will be 

 found after reading this paper, that I have given prominence to the 

 several species of Eucalyptus, first because they are in universal 

 use throughout the country and therefore of general interest, and 

 secondly, notwithstanding all that has been written regarding 

 their relative merits, our knowledge is yet far from perfect in 

 regard to them. I take it that any information contained within 

 these pages (the result of many years of practical experience), 

 which may tend, in some small degree, to throw further light on 

 the habits and peculiarities of this magnificent genus is of the 

 greatest importance. No one possessing any knowledge of the 

 timbers of this colony can afford to be dogmatic. I should like 

 it to be understood however, that before committing my opinions 

 and statements to paper, I have in each instance satisfied myself 

 as to their accuracy as far as it was possible to do so. 



I should have preferred to have put botanical names entirely 

 to one side and adhered to vernacular ones alone, but in many 

 instances I found it impossible to do so. In several districts the 

 same variety of timber frequently goes under different names, and 

 very often the same name is applied to different timbers. 



Hence to be accurate in dealing with the eucalypts I have 

 referred to the species by their botanical as well as the names 

 they are commonly known by. I am fully alive to the great 

 importance of Professor Warren's work on the relative strength 

 of our hardwoods, and although I make no reference to the value 

 of each species in this particular direction, the results of his tests, 

 which I have carefully studied, have not been overlooked by me. 



