Page:Handbook of Western Australia.djvu/71

Rh forms large thickets in Hie interior, seldom exceeds 6 inches in diameter, is very tough, and said to he equal to lance wood.

The wood of the Mangar or Raspherry Jam tree, so named from its peculiar scent, is extremely hard and excellent for turning, and for furniture, as is the native pear; the Tea Tree, or Paper Bark, is used for boat and carriage building; the Peppermint and Swamp Banksia for cabinet work; Shea Oak and Jarrah are used for shingles; the latter will not easily take fire; "White and Red Gum are most commonly used in carriage and cart building, and the bark of the Black Wattle for tanning. In 1873, a slab of Tooart, or White Gum, was exhibited, sawn from a log cut in 1862, and which had been lying exposed to sun and rain near Capel Bridge from that time; also four plates, and four-columns used in making a platform for the exhibition of the ores of the Colony: these were cut from piles which had been 33 years partly under water in the sea, and partly exposed, and all were still sound, and had resisted the attacks of the sea worm. A baulk of Karri timber had been in the wash of the tide at Augusta for 26 years and was still sound. It may therefore be safely asserted that few, if any, countries have a greater variety of valuable natural woods than West Australia.

In addition to these the Pine timber of the North-East coast is large and of good quality, and would supply logs, boards, and spars. Pine of smaller growth is also found in the Murchison district. Jarrah timber is placed on Lloyds' list of timbers for ship building in table A line 3, and, as it does not require sheathing, with these two timbers ship-building might become one of the most important and lucrative industries of the Colony (vide