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1 May, 1899.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 387 
cassowary’s feathers). The specific name, torzlosa, signifying slightly uneyen, 
was given to this species by W. T. Aiton, of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, 
in reference to the ribs of the branchlets being scarcely prominent. 
Distrrpurion.—The Forest Oak is found in open forest lands in Queens- 
land, New South Wales, and South Australia, often occupying large tracts of 
land, It is also fairly common on high lands and many of the ranges. 
Usrs.—The timber of the Forest Oak is of a reddish colour, and very 
nicely marked. It is a handsome wood, sometimes remarkably heavy, and of 
great strength, hard, tough, and close in the grain. It is in much demand for 
durable shingles and furniture-work, and is also much used for yokes for 
bullock drays and wagons, and for staves. Itis also valuable for cabinet-work, 
and gives a handsome veneer. It furnishes one of the best timbers for fuel, 
and is thus greatly in favour both for domestic use and for heating bakers’ 
ovens. It burns with a clear white ash, and leaves no cinders. 
Tt is a tree which is worthy of cultivation, for when growing on good soils 
it makes a handsome tree. 
ON CASUARINAS GENERALLY. 
All the Casuarinas ought to be planted more frequently than they are. 
They are all fast-growing trees, growing as much as 8 and 4 feet in one year in 
height, and are all useful. There is no waste, for the timber of all species 
makes excellent firewood. Besides this, they make excellent breakwinds or 
shelter plantations. For general beauty and use (in so many ways) they are 
hard to beat, and farmers and settlers might do worse than plant some of 
them. ae 
FOREST CONSERVANCY IN VICTORIA. 
“Brunt,” in the Australasian, recently speaks very highly of the work 
which is gomg on in many parts of the colony in replanting the forests 
which have been so mercilessly destroyed. He says:—‘ On the southern 
edge of the great western plain of Victoria, about 165 miles to the 
northward of Camperdown, and just outside the northern boundary of the old 
forest that marked the line of coast rain, there is a group of half-a-dozen 
estates on which extensive shelter plantations have been formed. The area of 
jand afforested on these properties is probably not far short of 10,000 acres, 
and, so far from there being any loss of pasture in consequence, I have been 
assured by the proprietors that the: grass is much improved. The stock are 
much benefited by the shelter, and the sheep are assured of a good, dry 
camping-ground in any weather. It has been found that since the plantations 
grew up the country carries more stock, and carries them far better than it 
did before. Driving along the excellent road from Terang to Darlington, the 
traveller, as he passes the boundary line of the old forest, sees in every 
direction before him great masses and lines of foliage, that loom black against 
the tawny hue of the withered pasture. hese plantations are not limited to 
one spot, for they stretch out for 20 miles into the plain.” 
A NEW INDUSTRY. 
A. NEW USE FOR HARDWOOD. 
Wuursr our supplies of soft woods are rapidly disappearing from the scrubs, 
there is still a large amount of various descriptions of hardwoods to be found — 
in them, all of them of commercial value in the future if not at present. ‘he 
following are some of the best of the serub hardwoods :— 
Penda (Xanthostemon oppositifolium). 
Yellow-wood (Hlindersia Oxleyana). 
Crow’s Ash (Hlindersia australis). 
cl 
