TREES 
48 
be only a continuation of liard knots, which gives 
it a peculiar, but very beautiful appearance, when 
wrought. It resembles the tulip-wood of Au- 
stralia, more than any other plant I have seen. If 
sent to England, I doubt not but it would be a 
most valuable wood for making elegant cabinets 
and work-boxes; but the patience of the artist 
would be severely put to the test, from the hard- 
ness and brittleness of the material which he 
would have to work. 
Kahikatoa {Lepiospcrmum scopariuin ) — A tree 
of stunted growth, flourishing in clayey barren 
soils, and producing a hard redwood. From the 
berries which it bears, it has been designated the 
tea-tree. It does not grow above eighteen inches 
in diameter. It is sometimes used by the natives 
for the corner-posts of tlieir larger fences ; but it 
would not answer for this purpose if nails were 
used by tliem, as the wood is so hard as to resist 
a nail of large dimensions. It is a sure sign of a 
barren soil when tlie Kahikatoa is found in plenty ; 
for though it grows to its greatest size in rich 
woods, it is very rarely seen but upon the most 
barren and useless plains which will scarcely pro- 
duce any other plant or shrub. It has a very 
small leaf, and bears a white blossom all the year 
round. The perfume which it exhales is very 
fragrant, and spreads itself for a long distance 
from the place where the plant grows. 
Kohekohe {Laurus kohekohe ) — A fine handsome 
tree, with a trunk free of branches to a height 
