THE TIMBERS OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 203 



The quality of this timber varies considerably like most hardwoods 

 in different districts. I found that the best variety is found in 

 the Hawkesbury district, particularly around Wyong and Cooran- 

 bong, Grey gum from these places have a record of thirty years 

 in bridge members. For general building work it is hardly so 

 suitable as some of the pale hardwoods ; it is hard to plane, and 

 and in scantling sizes subject to crack and open. As piles or 

 girders I consider it next to ironbark and one of the best of our 

 timbers. 



Tallow Wood — (Eucalyptus microcorys). 



This truly valuable timber grows to perfection along the 

 northern rivers of this Colony, and for many descriptions of work 

 ranks superior to ironbark. It shrinks less in drying than any 

 other hardwood : it is very dense and close in the grain. Archi- 

 tects do not value this timber to the degree it merits, and this is 

 mainly due to the fact that sawmillers are in the habit of substi- 

 tuting inferior timbers such as spotted gum, white stringy bark, 

 white mahogany, and others, which to the inexperienced eye 

 resemble the tallow wood in colour. I have frequently seen 

 shipments of timber in Sydney ordered as tallow wood, and not 

 containing a piece of that timber. 



Tallow wood in colour ranges from a milky-white shade to a 

 dark yellow, hence the opening to dishonest timber suppliers to 

 subtitute other varieties of hardwoods similar to it in appearance. 



In some districts such as Camden Haven and Port Macquarie, 

 I found it almost white in colour, in fully matured trees. After 

 the tree reaches maturity the timber commences to darken in 

 colour, but I do not look on this fact as any detriment, except so 

 far as the tensile strength is concerned. I am of opinion that a 

 light coloured matured piece of tallow wood will be found to stand 

 a greater breaking strain than a dark yellow piece of the same 

 dimensions. The darker the timber is in colour the greater the 

 amount of greasy substance or gum it contains. A piece burst 

 open with an axe will disclose under the microscope numbers of 



