Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-06-08
AUSTRALIAN FORESTS.
They Are Far More Extensive Than at
First Supposed.

From the London tribhe
Our Sydney correspondent writes that the
Importance of forest conservation is begin
ming to receive increased attention in Aus
traIia, where the revenue from the state
forests remains considerably below that OBJ
tanned in countries possessing far less
wealth of timber IN New South Wales, &C
cording to MIR. Coshlan. forests. contrary
to the popular idea in Europe and America.
extend over almost the whole area of the
state. excepting portions of the Monaro,
the Lachlan. the Murrumbidgee districts
and the TRANSFERRING region, where extern
sive treeleSs plains occur, clothed with salt
bush scrub, OF species of natural grasses
The country COVERED by timber may be
divided into three classeS-open, brush and
scrub forests. The first of these cover the
greatest portion of the surface of the state
and are found in every formation The
trees met with are chiefly species of euca-
lyptus, angophora and other genera of the
order myftaceaa- The prevalence of the
eucalypti. and the large extent covered by
the forests. give the country a rather
monotOnous aspect; but the park-ike APP
pearanCe of the open forests and the
beauty of the many Towering shrubs, win
admiration in spite of the sameneSS of the
trees, while even the dull, grayish blue of
the foliage of the gum trees when relieved
by the yellow blossoms of the waffle in
Guiding the graceful myall, or the beauti-
full and shapely kurrajong, is not without
it's attractiveneSS. The trees are for the
most part straight and cylindrical in the
trunk, and when full grown their first
branch is at considerable height from the
ground The roots of the eucalyptus often
lie at no great distance from the surface
Soil. an adaptation of nature to the peculiar
climatic conditions of the country.
The finest specimens of most of the tim
Der trees. those yielding the most valua-
bic timber, are found on ridges and hill
GU ja. in MIA pr,t1
stony for cultivation. This circumstance
is in many ways fortunate for the state
In the course of settlement, when the rich
plains are denuded of their trees, and when
scarcity will make timber more appreciat-
ed than it is a present, land not adapte ed
for agricultural settlement will still be
available for the cultivation of the finest
trees. Among the many trees of CONNER
cial value, immense specimens of red gum
and apple trees. on the northern river flats
mark the course of the streams; while on
the ridges and mountain sides other species
predominate. such as the white She
lronbarked. mugga or red irOnbark, black
butt, white mahogany, tallow-wood, spotted
gum, grey box, led mahogany, grey gum
forest red gum and Sydney blue gum
Neither must turpentine. one of the most
beautiful trees of the state, nor the brush
box of the northern rivers, a tree much
in request for ornamental purposes. be for
gotten The brush forests cover a large
extent of country along the coast The
those of the open forests, and there is no
lack of variety either in the character of
the trees or the color of their foliage. Tall
graceful fern trees, sometimes attaining a
height of sixty feet, beautiful species of
palms cabbage trees and Moreton bay
figs of enormous proportions are prominent
features of the northern brushes, though
these are perhaps more ornamental than
useful.
There are. however, found in the brush
forests timber trees of the greatest value
Among these may be mentioned the red
cedar and it's close allies, rosewood and
red bean, three of the most valuable woods
of the state; beech valuable little shrink
ing wood, now getting scarce; colonial or
hoop pine. soft wood not of the best
quality. brown berry pine, which re-
sists white ants and other timber pests in
a marked degree. The varying character
of the forest country in New South Wales
readily explains the conflicting accounts Of
visitors. each of whom simply describes
what ne saw. accepting it representing
no hnl