The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-20
WESTERN 4UsrRALIA's FORESTS.
Six Hundred Million Dollars Worth OF
Timber In Sight - Jarrah and Knrri
Wood the Most SniuabIe Timber.

From the London Times.
Little has been written. because nc: much has
hitherto been known, concerning the forest
wealth of western Australia. The recent
rapid DEVELOPMENT OF the mining industry In
the colony has, no doubt. served as this II cans
of directing attention to others of its native
resources. among which the local supply.of
timber would naturally occupy a prominent
place. The principal forest trees of western
Australia-are thirty-iive In number. not one
Of which is native to Britain. They include
carbohydrates of. gums tEncdiDptusl seven
of Banksia. three she-oaks tCdsudrindl. three
wattles (ACdcid), and the peppermint tree.
cypress pine, psper-bark, and sandalwood.
Thejarrah Eucalyptus mdrgindtdI stands pre-
eminent as the leading timber tree of the west.
ern Australian forests. In the extent of forest
land 1t occupies, in the various uses to which its
wood can be applied, and in.the part il Is tax
ing IN the great timber-exporting industry of
the colony, 1t outrlvals all other trees. For
constructive work necessitatlng contact with
.oil and water iarran wood has no native equal.
The common name OF the tree Is that of the
aborigines, willie the specific part of the sys.
tcmatic name refers TO the thickened margins
of the leaves. There Is nothing picturesque
about a iarrnh forest, the general effect Of
which Is dull, sonbre, and uninteresting to
Lne eye, tllo DlTh utlle VI Il uuTk gray cOlOT,
fbrous. and persistent. In the ..rst. class Jar
rah forests the tr ees attain n height OF from
80 feet to l2O feet, with good stems 3 feet TO s
feet In diameter. and 30 feet to 80 feet to the
first branch. A healthy tree Of average size.
however. would be about 80 feet to 100 feet
high. and 2E feet to 80 feet in diameter at the
base. To attain a diameter Of about . feet 90
that Is, TO reach the stage when 1t may be con-
sidered at for the sawnlll-a jarrah tree re-
quires about ffty years. The tree Is practi-
cally confined 70 the southwestern divisi N or
the colony, extending over an area or about
$50 miles north - south ana 50 to 100 miles
east 10 west. This embraces all the country
upon which the heaviest rains of the season
fall, the annual average ranging from 40
inches In the south TO 30 inches in the north.
Jarrah is accorGingly most freely distributed
along the table lands and slopes of the Darling
range. which runs.through nearly all the south
western district. 1t Is most partial to a lin =
stone formation. but degenerates and even dis
Jarrah wood when freshly cut weighs a little
over 10 pounds per cubi, foot, which declines
1t is rcd 81. color, nolishes well, and in compare
lively, easily worked. IL ~ used for wood
b%locfing. piles; %jetties, BRIDES, boats; posts,
better charcoal imam any other, native timber;
AZ a rule, iarrah is found either lntermiXed
Karri, EucdlWtRS dirclsicOiOT, is the giant tree
Of wtste.n Australia. II is not so well known
Srowth and The comparat:ve inacce %ssibiiity Of
Its hauuts. The specific name refers 10 tlse
pale color Of the leaves ON their lower face as
compared with eutalypts generally: the com
mon name is aboriginal. 1t Is the finest and
most graceful tree In Tho, Austria lian forests.
Regular In growth. straight. outrageous, it's
appearance when mature is grand. in The ex-
IRENE. IN average tree has a height OF abont
four feet above the ground. with a stretch Of
100 TO $50 feet TO the first branch. The bark
is smooth, yellow-white IN color, and not per
~sistent. like that of iarrah; 1t, therefore. peels
off In fakes each year, so that tht tree always
quently spoken OF as a white gum. The tree
Is a rapid grower, and IL Is possible to produce
forests or marketable karri In the short period
OF from thirty TO forty years. The range of
the karri Is confined TO the southwestern part