6 PODOCARPUS SPICATA. 
the middle of October in the North to the close of December in the South. The 
fruit ig small and black; it arrives at maturity in March and April: in favourable 
seasons it is produced in great abundance. 
DISTRIBUTION OF THE GENUS. 4 
Podocarpus comprises about sixty-three species, and finds its northern limit 
in Japan, extending southward to New Zealand. No species is found in Europe. 
Four species are found in Australia, and seven in New Zealand. All the New 
Zealand species are confined to the colony, and one is restricted to mountain 
districts of the South Island. 
DISTRIBUTION OF THE SPECIES. 
Podocarpus spicata is distributed throughout the colony, but is extremely rare 
on Stewart Island, where I observed a solitary specimen growing on the southern 
side of Half-moon Bay. It ascends from sea-level to 1,800ft. It is most plentiful 
in the central portions of the North Island and in the western and south-western 
parts of the South Island. 
PRopERTIES AND USES. 
The matai affords a timber of great value on account of its smooth even 
texture, strength, and durability ; it is heavy and close-erained, but is easily 
worked ; its colour varies from a light to a full deep brown. Its rate of growth 
is the slowest of all New Zealand pines; from’ 50 to 80 concentric rings may 
be counted in a single inch, measured near the centre of the trunk. Mr. J. 
Buchanan mentions an instance in which he counted 88 rings to the inch.* 
Mr. Blair states the number to be 23.T 
Its specific gravity varies from °572 to *792:} its weight per cubic foot 
varies from 34°97lb. to 49°36lb. according to Balfour. Mr. Blair states the 
weight at from 75°534lb. to 77°798lb. in the green state ; when seasoned, 46°862lb. 
to 47°508lb.; and estimates the breaking weight at 384:03lb. for a piece aft. long 
and lin. square, supported at each end and loaded in the centre. || 
It has been applied to a great variety of uses, amongst which may be men- 
tioned bridges and constructive works generally, house-blocks, framing, joisting, 
weatherboards and flooring, railway-sleepers, bridge-piles, bedplates for heavy 
machinery, and occasionally for millwrights’ purposes. For the floors of churches, 
schools, public halls, ballrooms, theatres, skating-rinks, &c., it is the best of 
our native timbers, although on account of its hardness it cannot be laid so 
quickly as kauri or white-pine. 
Its general durability is so well known that it is almost superfluous to 
mention special instances. One or two, however, may be given. ‘Trees that 
have been lying in the forest for protracted periods may often be found perfectly 
sound. Mr. Buchanan gives an account of a matai which was found prostrate 
in the bush, and over which three broadleaf trees (Griselinia littoralis) had 
grown, enfolding it in their roots; on felling these trees it was found that they 
were upwards of three hundred years old, but the matai was perfectly sound and 
was split up for fencing-posts.§ Mr. Blair states that a matai which had been 
prostrate in Waikiwi forest from ‘‘ time immemorial’”’ had a fuchsia with a trunk 
SS — | 
* Trans. N.Z. Institute, Vol. [X., p. 182. 
+ Blair’s “ Building Materials of Otago,” p. 223. 
t Balfour: ‘‘ Results of Experiments on New Zealand Woods."’ Some doubt attaches to the lowest figures. 
| Blair's ‘‘ Building Materials of Otago,” pp. 224, 225. 
§ Trans, N.Z, Institute, Vol. IX., p, 182. 
*| Blair's '' Building Materials of Otago,"’ p, 176. 
