CORRESPONDENCE. Ill 
3. There being no difference between heart and sap woods in 
this tree, small saplings are as durable as the largest trees when 
placed under similar conditions. 
4. This timber imparts no flavour to anything stowed in it, 
when used for casks or the like. 
The accompanying sample of Tawa timber, cut from the pile 
of a wharf in Nydia Bay, Pelorus Sound, shows the condition of 
the pile after six years immersion. The wharf referred to was 
originally constructed of birch piles, one of which, when only 
twelve months in was so eaten by marine worms that the deck 
sank. When almost four years up, the whole structure became 
unsafe, and a number of fender piles had to be driven, for which 
Tawa was by chance used, it being the mosteasily procured timber. 
On lately examining these fender piles not the slightest sign of 
the worm could be detected on any of them, the timber below 
high water-mark being everywhere as sound as the sample for- 
warded. In many other parts of the Sound similar proofs of the 
Tawa withstanding the marine worm can be obtained. As show- 
ing the durability of Tawa saplings I would mention a bridge 
yen at tidal Creek in the mouth of the Pelorus River. The 
stringers of this bridge, small Tawa trees a few inches in diameter, 
are now, after being sixteen years in their place, perfectly sound, 
although only in the water while the tide is full. 
With regard to the Tawa as a material for cask making, it is 
generally remarked by dairy farmers throuzshout Marlborough 
that since Kauri came into use it is a mere chance whether salt 
butter put up in summer will be found good when opened in the 
winter, and there was no such danger while Tawa kegs were pro- 
curable; the Kauri not only discolouring and tasting the butter, 
but allowing the brine to leak off, none of which happened with 
Tawa. If it be correct, as I have lately seen stated in print, that 
there is in Adelaide a lack of timber for wine casks, the latter 
qualities of the Tawa should commend it to notice. The Tawa 
is extremely perishable when exposed to the atmosphere, and it 
is this which has prevented its good qualities being recognised. 
If employed for wharf building it could only be used to high 
water mark, and built upon ; but the fact of many of our wharfs 
becoming unsafe through the ravages of the marine worm, while 
the upper portions are still sound, seem to argue in favour of two 
species of timber being used instead of confining ourselves to one. 
The Wesodaphne Tawa, though not of very large growth, 
attains a considerable size, logs from 2ft. to 2ft. 6in. in diameter 
and 30ft. to 4oft. long being easily procurable. As the Tawa 
forms a large proportion of our forest vegetation throughout the 
Pelorus District, a good supply might be obtained. At present, 
however, it is being rapidly destroyed in order to bring the land 
into grass, the soil on which it grows being always good. 
Picton, March, 1884. JAS. RUTLAND. 
[The sample torwarded is perfectly sound in every respect,— 
EDITOR. ] 
