XXVI.] 
KARL 
197 
capacity of a ship to carry it. Governor Weld, of 
Western Australia, says he has estimated trees of this 
description at 300 feet; and the learned botanist, Baron 
Van Mueller, of Melbourne, states that the Kari tree 
reaches the height of 400 feet. 
The wood is red in colour, hard, heavy, strong, tough, 
and slightly wavy or curled in the grain, but it has no 
figure to recommend it for cabinet purposes. Six logs 
of this timber, viz., two of 12" x 12" X 28', one of 
12" x 12" x 34', two of 24" x 24" x 24', and one of 
24" x 24" x 32', were recently shipped at Freemantle 
by the Western Australian Government for delivery at 
one of the royal dockyards in England, for experimental 
trial in the navy, the colonists being of opinion that it 
will ere long be in great request for ship-building and 
other architectural works. Unfortunately, however, all 
these logs had the defect of star-shake, which rendered 
them unfit for almost any purpose except where they 
could be employed in very large scantlings. 
It was also noticed that the Kari had the peculiar 
blistery appearance of the annual layers which has 
been mentioned as common to the Jarrah, consequently 
this wood is not considered to be suitable for any work 
requiring nicety of finish, although no doubt it would be 
admirably suitable for piles for jetties, bridges, &c., and 
generally for heavy structures where large scantlings and 
great strength is required. It will not last between wind 
and earth, though, as far as is yet known, it resists the 
action of water. 
It is much to be regretted that a tree so noble in its 
dimensions should prove so disappointing in its character; 
but, like the Jarrah, to which it has some resemblance, it 
is not, I think, likely to be in request for architectural 
works in this country. 
