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The Flooded Gum is much lighter in weight than the Blue Gum, and floats in water in small sizes 
just beneath the surface, hence the name “Floating Gum” which is sometimes given to it. I am of 
opinion that in furniture-making Flooded Gum will be found an excellent substitute for Red Cedar, 
and also for verandah posts, table legs, and similar work. I look upon it as a matter of great importance 
to the architect that he should guard against using Flooded Gum in general building work, particularly 
in positions where it is called upon to take any strain whatever. (J. V. de Coque.) 
Flooded Gum is a large tree, often up to 7 or 8 feet in diameter, with 
smooth deciduous hark of a silvery grey or white in colour, excepting near the hutt, 
where it is usually for some distance up from the ground, rough, of dark colour, 
and persistent. This tree is generally found growing on the alluvial hanks of rivers 
and creeks, or in dense scrubby mountain dells. The timber in the young trees 
especially is often soft, spongy, and brittle near the heart, and in such ease, it is 
next to worthless, but in old and mature trees, in which the centre heart wood has 
rotted away, leaving them hollow, their timber, especially that of the butt logs, is 
tough and strong, and becomes very hard when dry, and is suitable for ships’ 
planking and for building purposes generally, also for fence rails, &c., but for bridge 
work it is not, taken altogether, very reliable. (A. Rudder.) 
Blue Gum is very similar, in general appearance, to the above, and is often 
found with it, but the trees are not usually so large, and their bark has a bluish 
colour, and is somewhat blotchy in appearance, and is rarely rough and persistent at 
the butt, and the wood is usually redder. The timber of this tree differs a good deal 
in character and quality from very tough and inlocked to soft, brittle, and fissile 
(leaving a doubt in my mind whether there are not several kinds). This is often a 
good timber for building purposes generally, but in some places the trees are pipy, 
and the wood is subject to grub-lioles, and is not lasting in the ground, and should 
not be used in any bridges where better timbers for the purpose are obtainable. 
Blue Gum is frequently met with on open country, on the mountains east of the 
Dividing Range, and is very plentiful on the Upper Patterson, Allen, and Williams 
Rivers, &c. (A. Rudder.) 
Worried with such statements as these, I made special inquiry in the 
northern districts, and particularly about Cape Hawke, as to the differences between 
Blue and Flooded Gum. 
Following is a report of my inquiries : — 
Blue Gum is found on the slopes and smaller ridges; Flooded Gum usually 
on the flats, particularly those liable to inundation. Sometimes, however, the two 
trees may be found quite close to each other, under conditions apparently identical. 
One of the objects of my trip was to see if I could obtain evidence as to 
permanent and specific differences between Blue and Flooded Gum, but I found 
none. Trees were felled for me, and I could see no difference in their fruits; 
the Flooded Gum was more advanced than Blue Gum (the latter was in bud and 
the former in early fruit), but that was all. 
