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Size. —From 80 to 120 feet high, and a diameter of 2 to 4 feet. The Sydney 
Morning Herald, of 16th August, 1898, says:— 
An Enormous Beech Tree.—Mr. Nich oil’s steamer, “ Excelsior,” which yesterday arrived in port, 
brought, as part cargo, an enormous beech tree from the Byron Bay district. The tree was cut into logs 
9 feet in length, and averaged about 17 feet in girth. Only the main barrel of the giant was brought to 
Sydney, and this comprises 10,000 feet of timber, which filled one-half of the vessel’s hold. 
Distribution. —The north hank of the Slioalhaven is its southernmost limit 
in New South Wales; thence it extends along the coast, in brushes, to Southern 
Queensland. It is found in the Slioalhaven district and the Illawarra, but is not 
plentiful. It used to be found in Jasper’s Brush, but not on the Cambewarra 
Mountain. Proceeding north, a few trees may be found in the brushes about Otford, 
Lilydale, &c., but I have not seen any. It skips the Sydney district and reappears 
in the Brisbane Water district, being cut at the present time, though to a small 
extent (as good trees are in almost inaccessible localities), about Wyong Creek, 
Cooranbong, &c. Then it is found here and there along the coast, but nowhere very 
plentifully. There is a good deal back from the Bellinger and Coff’s Harbour. It 
occurs all through tlie Big Scrub, on the Richmond and Brunswick, and also in 
isolated patches of scrub on the Tweed. It is not a plentiful tree; it nowhere 
appears to be gregarious, but in isolated trees, far apart. 
Following are a few specific notes :— 
Never plentiful in my district; only a few trees left in very rugged places.—(Forester Martin, 
Gosford.) 
One or two saplings oidy in my district.—(Forester A. Rudder, Bowral.) 
It is found on Tallowak Mountain (back of Failford), also at John’s River, 
and at Pappinbarra Creek, 40 miles back from Port Macquarie. This timber is 
getting so scarce that notes of localities from which it is obtained at the present 
time are interesting. Lattice-latlis of beech were being cut at Laurieton.—(J.H.M.) 
Sparsely distributed throughout the brush portion of my district. Large quantities have been 
removed from this district years ago, particularly from the Allgomera Forests and the Upper Nambucca; 
but not much remains in easily accessible districts. Probably from 20,000 to 40,000 feet might be readily 
obtained at an advanced price.—(Forester MacDonald, Kempsey.) 
Very little in my immediate locality.—(G. M. McKeown, Wollongbar.) 
A few trees are to be found on Reserves 4,353 and 10,723, county Rous; 14,150, county Buller, 
1,120, counties Rous and Buller; on Crown lands, Haystack and Watershed between Koreela and Beaury 
Creeks, county Buller.—(Forester Crowley, Casino.) 
Propagation. —From the fruits (beech-nuts). Unfortunately, however, 
they are usually attacked by an insect as they approach maturity, and this, combined 
with the natural hardness of the seed, renders propagation of the Beech usually a 
difficult matter. This is to be regretted, as one sees so few seedlings and saplings 
of tbe White Beech coming forward in the brushes. The tree, therefore, is within 
measurable distance of extermination in readily accessible localities. It. would be 
nothing less than a national calamity if this valuable tree were to practically die 
out. In most cases our trees propagate themselves readily, and what is chiefly 
