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A specimen from the Myall Lakes, New South Wales, strongly resembles 
mahogany ; hut it has little figure. It is straight and close in the grain, and a good 
working timber. 
This wood reminds one of Cedar, hut it is a little heavier, is of rather a 
deader colour, and it is apt to tear a little under the plane, hence it fetches only 
about half the price of Cedar in Sydney. But it polishes well, and has a sheen 
which is very pretty. Two slabs in the Technological Museum, which have been 
seasoned over twenty-five years (having been exhibited at the London International 
Exhibition of 1862), have weights which correspond to 41 lb. 5 oz. and 441b. 15 oz. 
per cubic foot respectively. 
Young Bosewood has hardly any colour, but the perfume is sweet. Under 
the axe it is a fairly hard timber. Straight in grain, heavy, and beautifully coloured 
red in centre, the thin sap-wood being pale yellow; the hark is slightly rough. 
Mr. Yabsley, of the Coraki saw-mills, says that Bosewood will stand the 
weather almost as well as any of the best hardwoods, and can be split. 
As evidence of durability , some large logs of timber, moss-grown, yet still 
sound, well-coloured, and emitting the usual fragrance when cut into, can be seen in 
some of our brush forests, with large trees growing all-around them, and which have 
evidently come to maturity since the trees fell, probably before the British settlement 
of Australia. Settlers often use Bosewood for house-blocks; they know its durability 
in this trying situation. It resists both damp and white ants. 
principal uses. —Eurniture, cabinet-work, turnery, carving, and indoor work 
of all kinds. It is used for newels, mouldings, and framing of all sorts. Useful 
for show-case work, also for planes, levers, trundles, and studs in roller-boards of 
organs, &c., window-jambs, screws of hand-screws, and any uses where a wood a 
little harder than softwood is required. Becent test uses arc for bee-boxes, broom- 
handles, and wire-mattress frames. Has been strongly recommended for wine-casks. 
It will split, and I am assured it imparts no taste to wine. 
For boards for ball-room floors it is excellent; I prefer it to Tallow-wood.—(W. Dunn.) 
Mr. Yabsley states that Bosewood can be put to more uses than any timber 
we have in New South Wales, so far as he knows. 
I desire now to draw attention to a timber for wine-casks which I had not 
thought of for the purpose, until the late Mr. Thomas Bawden, of Grafton, brought 
it under my notice in 1891. His remarks on such a subject demand respect, for, 
as is well known, he gave a good deal of attention to the utilisation of our native 
products during thirty years and more. Mr. Bawden says :— 
With regard to wine-casks, and the proper wood for the purpose, I think you will find Rosewood 
the very best. I know some years ago the late Richard Bligli had some large vats and casks made of that 
timber, which suited admirably, and certainly gave no taste to the wine. I yesterday asked an old wine¬ 
grower of large experience what he thought best for wine vats or casks, and he at once selected Rosewood, 
as giving no taste of a deleterious character to the wine. He has tried Silky Oak, but has condemned it, 
and has not been able to get anything better than Rosewood. 
