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In the Port Macquarie district brush turpentine has the bark much like that of red mahogany, 
and could not easily be mistaken for turpentine. Mr. J. M‘Inerney has seen red mahogany with a bark, 
resembling that of true turpentine ; this is particularly the case with timbers of pile size. It is sometimes 
sent down for that timber, and gets riddled very quickly by cobra. 
The bark of turpentine is tough as compared with brush turpentine. The blacks have the same 
name for the two trees. Mr. Booth would as soon have red mahogany as turpentine for piles. 
There is no brush turpentine large enough for piles in the places where the turpentine piles are 
obtained in the Port Macquarie district. It is quite possible that young tallow-woods, and even young 
stringybarks or white mahoganies, might occasionally be substituted for turpentine through ignorance, but 
the mistake would easily be rectified by any judge of timber. 
We do not think that any wilful attempt has been made in the past to substitute other hardwoods 
in lieu of turpentine for piles, etc. In point of fact turpentine timber is so plentiful throughout the Colony 
that there is little or no inducement to unprincipled timber suppliers to substitute any other timber for it. 
VIII.—Summary of Findings and Recommendations. 
To the ls< Question ,—Does the true turpentine resist the attacks of cobra when used in piles 
girders, &c., and in public works ? 
Our answer is that turpentine is not an absolute resistant to cobra, either in pure salt water or in 
tidal waters, whether the bark is on or not. The turpentine will resist the cobra as well, or better, than 
any other hardwood, providing the bark remains uninjured. 
That cobra is much more active in attacking turpentine in tidal waters, where salt and fresh water 
mix, than in pure salt water. 
To the 2nd Question,- Are there two varieties of turpentine timber, one cobra-resisting, the other 
not ? 
Our answer is, that there are two turpentines of the same species, called the black and the red, but, 
although frequently no sufficiently sharp line of demarcation exists between the two timbers for us to 
single one variety for special commendation, we would prefer typically red turpentine. There is also a 
brush turpentine, whose botanical name is Rhodamnia trinervia, somewhat similar to true turpentine, but 
we found no evidence to show that it had been substituted for true turpentine, and we failed to find any 
inducement to timber-getters to do so. 
To the 3rd Question ,—Have any other timbers been substituted for turpentine and used for 
piles, &c. 1 
Our answer is, that we found no evidence that such is the case. Further, we failed to find any 
inducement to suppliers to do so, as turpentine is very plentiful in the coast districts. 
We recommend,— 
(а) That in pure salt water, in special instances where it is known that cobra is not very active, also 
in very foul salt water, such as around Pyrmont and Glebe Island bridges, the use of turpentine 
piles be continued, providing they are driven with their bark attached and uninjured. In cases 
of outside piles, exposed to the friction of the sides of vessels, some protection or guard should be 
adopted to prevent damage to the bark of the piles. 
(б) That where turpentine piles are specified to be with the bark on, the condition should be rigorously 
enforced, piles found to show defect in the bark below high-water mark being condemned as unfit 
for use. 
(c) That turpentine piles be, as far as possible, felled when the sap is down, and the bark closely 
adheres to the log. 
(d) That in unpolluted tidal waters, turpentine piles be protected by metal sheathing. 
Speaking more generally, and taking into consideration the fact that turpentine is not absolutely 
resistant to cobra, and the very great expense the Department of Public Works is annually put to in 
replacing cobra-infested timber, we recommend that for the future the use of turpentine timber, either 
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