109 
and 90 feet high, which gave a plank 2 feet broad ; hut in India it appears to lack 
density, and deteriorates in value. It is a wood much appreciated hy the Victorian 
blacks. For instance, the Yarra blacks used to make their mulgas or club-shields 
of it, their throwing-sticks (for propelling spears), and their “ lil-lil,” a curved 
fighting weapon with a knob. Following is a report by Mr. Allen Itansome 
on some samples of this timber sent from Victoria to the Colonial and Indian 
Exhibition, 1886:— 
Samples of both old and young trees were sent for trial. The former were made into joiners’ 
specimens, the latter into casks. The figure of the old-growth wood is very fine, and the surface left by 
the cutters was all that could be desired. The casks proved a complete success. The wood has already 
been imported into England in small quantities, and sold at prices from 2s. to 3s. per cubic foot. 
I quote descriptions of Tasmanian wood by the same authority, as, since we 
look forward to an increasing trade in colonial timbers with the United Kingdom 
and the continent of Europe, a report by a well-known English expert has peculiar 
value:— 
Blackwood .—A sound, mild-working timber of a brownish colour, closely striped with streaks of 
various shades of reddish-brown, and frequently crossed by diagonal marks of a light golden colour. The 
more ornamental logs of this wood are exceedingly beautiful, and should fetch a high price in this (London) 
market, where they could be used to advantage in place of the best Honduras Mahogany, while the less 
ornamental logs would serve for a higher class of joinery work, such as counter and shop fittings. The 
younger growth is well suited for cooperage work, and a barrel made from one of the pieces submitted for 
trial, before being artificially seasoned, is still quite tight, and shows no sign of shrinkage. 
Lightwood .—This is an inferior description of Blackwood, from which it differs mainly in being of a 
lighter colour, and having a somewhat more open grain. Although it will not compete with the Blackwood 
for highly ornamental cabinet work, it can be used in the place of cheap Mahogany for wardrobe hacks and 
other similar work. 
It will be observed that most of the reports on the utility of this timber refer 
to Tasmanian ancl Victorian wood. This is because the occurrence of Blackwood in 
New South Wales is known to very few people, whereas, as is stated in the proper 
place, it is very widely distributed in this State, although usually looked upon as 
some other timber. In sending a New South Wales specimen for identification, 
Mr. van Weenen, of Gunnedali, wrote in 1893 :— 
It is only lately that it has been brought to the saw mills at Boggabri, and the sawyers do not 
know it. It grows in this district, and is being used by coach makers and cabinet-makers, who speak very 
highly of it. 
Neither do the saw-millers in the Richmond River district know anything 
about it. There it is chiefly Cedar, Pine, Hardwood—the changes being rung on 
these three indefinitely. Beyond these, little is locally known of colonial timbers. 
Strange to s^fy, that while the timber is highly spoken of in the southern localities 
of New South Wales I have mentioned below, it is comparatively little used. Now 
this does not indicate that it is of little value, as some cynics who delight to sneer at 
native timbers infer, but simply that the public in the district are not yet alive to 
R 
