110 
I would suggest it as worth trying for large wood type-making and similar purposes, as it does not 
crack. It is excellent for bullock-yokes. It is generally said to twist very much when in boards, but at 
Coopernook saw mill I saw last week (June) boards of it 1 inch thick, which had been exposed for months 
and had not warped ; also rails of it laid down as a tramway for bringing logs to the saw-rnill, in moist 
ground (and for months swampy), in use for four years, and now perfectly sound, and has worn well. Tt 
is excellent for paving blocks. White ants will not touch it, whether it is alive or dead. The sap which 
runs out of a nob or swelling in a living tree, when cut with an axe, is said to taste strongly of salt. (Mr. 
Forester Brown, Port Macquarie.) 
He also states ( Agric . Gazette, 1896, page, 557) :— 
I find that, besides the many valuable uses to which Brush Box is put, the following may be added, 
gleaned from Mr. A. Jennings, Port Macquarie:—“A countershaft, which drives from the main counter¬ 
shaft, also drives a planing machine, hand-saw, and two gulleting machines, is 15 feet long. The centre 
bearing is of Brush Box, end on. It has been in use twelve months, and shows no perceptible wear, 
whilst the bearing at one end of brass has been renewed in nine months, and now shows i inch wear. The 
other bearing of cast-iron, which has been renewed twice in twelve months, also shows J inch wear.” 
Scrub Box has lately come much into use, and is considered a very useful and durable timber, free 
from pipes and very sound. (Mr. Forester Green, Casino.) 
Timber of a brownish colour, sometimes yellowish, turing grey on exposure, or generally so when 
dry; hard, heavy, and interlocked ; used for ribs and planking of ships ; very hard when dry. Considered 
to be very lasting (as I have observed), but said, however, by some not to be very reliable when used for 
the decking of bridges. Shrinks irregularly; when cut into thin stuff is liable to twist and warp. 
Unequalled when subject to friction ; makes the best hardwood rails to carry trucks, and is excellent also 
for bullock-yokes. The tree, as a rule, is sound ; but some of them are liable to heart shakes in the falling. 
As the cutting of this timber soon dulls the saws, it is not a favourite with the mill-owners. (Mr. Forester 
Rudder, Booral.) 
A further report by Mr. Rudder, published in the Acjric. Gazette, says 
I can recollect this timber in the earlier days, over fifty years ago, as the chosen of all others by a 
firm of shipbuilders of the names of Malcome, Newton, and Ferrier, who used it for ships’ planking. It 
becomes pale when dry, and in texture is tine and close in the grain, and is usually inlocked, and, when 
seasoned, stands more friction than any other timber I know of, not excepting the best ironbark, and for 
this reason is used for tramway rails, also for bullock-yokes and planes, as it works very smooth. I have 
seen it used in decking for bridges, of which there is now an example in a bridge at Gooloogolook, in this 
district, where it has been placed for experiment side by side with tallow-wood, with the result, so far, after 
four and a half years, with the exception of two planks, one of which seems to be in part sapwood and the 
other too near to the heart, that it is wearing well, even better as regards friction than the other timber. 
Unfortunately, it shrinks unevenly, and in thin stuff is given to warp ; but perhaps by soakage in water 
these defects might be remedied. In the house in which I am now 7 writing, one of the floors is of this w r ood, 
which has been down for twenty-seven years, and is still in excellent order. I believe this timber w ill be 
found of value for carving and for engraving purposes. More attention should be given to it. 
The timber is generally considered to be absolutely useless for any purpose except for firewood, for 
which it is admirably suited. (Mr. Forester Pope, Murwillumbah.) 
Timber more inlocked than that of any of the Eucalypts, being too short in the texture to split well, 
though sometimes will burst freely on the sap. It makes good mauls, being heavy and dense. As a mine 
timber (for pi’ops, etc.), it can scarcely be surpassed. It takes a fair polish, and is very durable, and forms 
splendid fuel. (Mr. Forester, Deverell, Glen Innes.) 
Useful for ships’ planking and decking of bridges, etc., etc. It is one of our best hardwoods, 
although not liked by saw T yers and mill proprietors. (Mr. Forester MacDonald, Kempsey.) 
