Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-11-27
AUSTRALIANS TIMBER RESOURCES
The Woods Used in Building and Cab
met Making.

From John Pummer's Australian
Cores pondence.-The heavy timbers
in which Australia is so rich have be-
come famous for their exceptional
hardness and durability, but COM
paratively little is known outside the
commonwealth of the numerous soft
woods admirably adapted for the man.
ufacture of furniture and for other in
dustrial purposes. Such timbers are
abundant in New South Wales, and are
found principally in the immence
brush forest of the coastal districts.
Several of these timbers have a wood
grained and marked most beautifully
and capable of receiving the highest
polish, while others are fragrantly per
fumed. Amongst the chief varieties
of woods of this class may be men
toned the red CEDAR the beautiful
wood of which is admirably adapted
for the finer kinds Of cabinet-makers'
work Some of the cedar trees grow
to immense size, as much as $500
cubic feet of valuable timber having
been obtained from one tree. In ad
dition to the cedar may be mentioned
tulipwood, yellow wood, white maple
myall marblewood, mock orange, and
many others. Besides their use for
cabinet-malNing, many Of the brush
timbers are of great utility for the
rougher kinds of carpentry, while
some, both hard and soft woods, are
admirably adapted for coach-builders'
and coopers' work
The chief description of pine grow
ing in New South Wales is the More
ton bay white pine, found in the coast
districts, as far south as the Bellinger.
1t is soft, light, and easily wrought,
and suitable for all the interior wood
work of houses, as we'll as for cabinet
| making. The red or black pine IS
extensively distributed over the Liver
pool plains, and in the Lachlan and
Darlin river districts, as well as
around Berrima. 1t is beautifully
marked in the grain, takes fine
| polish, and has an agreeable fragrance.
There are numerous other varieties of
pine, but these resemble in their main
| features the trees already described.
Australian deal is an excellent timber,
| and is obtained in very large scant-
ling, the tree frequently reaching 100
| feet in hight. 1t is soft, close-grained
easily wrought, and remarkably free
| from knots. It's use, Therefore, is eX-
tensive for cabinet-makers' work and
! house fittings.
| The New South Wales government
statistician mentions several of the
more useful of the soft and fancy
woods of the state. They include the
beech, which attains hight of 100 to
! $50 feet, with a diameter of three to
| five feet, giving a strong, white, close
grained, and durable wood, easily
worked, and greatly valued for decks
of vessels, flooring, turnery, and
furniture-making the black bean,
growing to hight of 120 to $50 feet,
, with a diameter of from four to five
| feet, with a handsome, close-grained,
dark-colored, durable wood; the black
oak, used for bullock yokes, tool
handles, shingles. ETC.; and the black
wood, resembling walnut and highly
| valued for making furniture. An
| other valuable timber is the rosewood.
1t is strong grained and durable, with
a color resembling Spanish mahogany
Among other woods may be mentioned
the silky oak, which attains hight of
20 to 80 feet, the color is a light gray,
beautifully crossed with silvery waves
and when polished the surface has a
delicate luster. Bedroom suites made
from this wood possess a dainty ap,
pearance. SatinwOod is another use.
full timber, yellow in color. 1t is soft
and silky to the touch, close-grained
and easily wrought. This wood is
also suitable for cabinet-making, and
is considered to be superior to the
satinwood used in the European and
American furniture trade. When the
system of forest conservation becomes
more general in the state, the supplies
of many of the timbers mentioned will
become practically inexhaustible, and
are certain to be in large demand fol-
export purposes.