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PODOCARPUS TOTARA. Y31 
long, 8in. x 8in. at base, tapering to 6in. x 6in., 15s. each; 25ft. long, 18s. to 20s. 
each; 35ft. long, 16in.x 16in. at base, tapering to 10in. x Ioin., £6 ros. to £7 
each. For marine piles the price varies considerably, according to the dimensions 
required, and partly according to the state of the labour-market. Squared piles 
up to 45ft. long, of a mean square not exceeding t4in. x r4in., may be obtained 
at 4s. per lineal foot, equivalent to 24s. per 100 superficial feet. Piles 5oft. long 
would fetch at least 30s. per 100 superficial feet; longer lengths could only be 
obtained at much higher rates. 
Two contracts for piles for wharf-extension in Wellington were taken as 
under, on different dates :— 
Squared piles, practically all heart, 27ft. to 33ft. long, 14in. x 14in. at butt, 
tapering to I2in. x I12in., 4s. 8d. per lineal foot. 
Squared piles, 33ft. to 46ft. long, 16in. x 16in. at butt, tapering to 13in. X 131n., 
4s. per lineal foot. This rate must be too low to allow a fair remuneration to 
the contractor. 
Heart-of-totara shingles cost about 18s. per 1,000. When totara is used for 
wood pavement it is sawn into blocks 3in. thick, 6in. deep, and gin. long: the 
present contract price is 14s. 4d. per 100 superficial feet. Mr. Loughrey, City 
Engineer, Wellington, informs me that if laid with the grain vertical it exhibits 
ereat power of resisting wear and tear. He is of opinion that it ought to last at 
co) 
least twenty years if laid on a good foundation. 
DisTRIBUTION OF THE GENUS. 
See under Podocarpus spicata, p. 3, ante. 
DISTRIBUTION OF THE SPECIES. 
Podocarpus Totara is endemic in New Zealand, and is generally distributed 
from Mongonui to Otago. I have not seen specimens growing in Southland or 
on Stewart Island, as it is replaced by P. Hallii in the extreme South. P. Totara 
is however found in the Catlin’s River district. It is most extensively converted 
in the Hawke’s Bay and Wairarapa districts, but occurs in great abundance in 
the centre of the North Island, some of the grandest trees in the colony being 
found in the Pungapunga Valley. It was formerly plentiful in several districts 
on the east coast of the South Island, but has been cut out in nearly every 
locality. In the Westland District it occurs in narrow strips or belts—a 
peculiarity which may occasionally be seen elsewhere. 
The totara evinces a decided preference for growing at low levels, and 
attains its greatest dimensions at elevations below 1,200ft.; 1t rarely ascends to 
2,000ft., and at higher elevations is completely replaced by P. Halli. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Podocarpus Totara, A. Cunn. 
Hook., ‘‘ London Journal of Botany,” i., 572, t. 19. 
A dicecious tree, 4oft. to 80ft. or even tooft. high; bark brown, fibrous, 
furrowed. Leaves distichous or scattered, Jin. to #in. long, acute, pungent, 
narrowed at the base, coriaceous, usually spreading, brown when dry. Male 
catkins axillary, equalling the leaves, obtuse, solitary or in twos or threes, 
sessile or on very short peduncles, with four bracts at the base, connective with 
a rounded appendage at the apex, finely toothed. Female, shortly peduncled, 
solitary or two together in the axils of the leaves of new shoots; ovule solitary 
or, rarely, geminate. Fruit usually pulpy, with the nut rounded or slightly nar- 
rowed at the apex, never acuminate, 
