Page:Transactions NZ Institute Volume 17.djvu/384

302 pubescent, leaves narrow oblong, quite entire, with appressed cinereous pubescence beneath in the mature state at least. The leaves vary in width, but are oblique or cuneate at the base. Timber reddish, sometimes streaked with black, stout, and durable under certain conditions, but in all respects inferior to tooth-leaved beech. It has the disadvantage of forming oblique or longitudinal cracks in the sawn state when exposed to the weather.

Great difference of opinion has existed respecting the durability of the timber of this species. In a Report on the Durability of New Zealand Timbers which I had the honour to prepare for the Government in 1874, and again in Captain Campbell Walker's Report on State Forests, I wrote:—"Owing to the confusion arising from the misapplication of the common names of the different beeches, even in the same district, I have been unable to obtain precise and satisfactory evidence on this point." At that date the timber was generally considered to be of inferior value with regard to durability, but recently evidence has been obtained, showing that this opinion requires considerable modification.

The West Oxford Forest consists in its lower parts exclusively of this species, so far at least as could be ascertained during the few hours that I was able to spend there; formerly it was stated officially to contain a large amount of tooth-leaved beech, and it was supposed that any durable timber obtained from the forest was furnished by that species. I failed, however, to find tooth-leaved beech, either at West Oxford or at View Hill, several miles higher up the river, although there can be little doubt that it occurs on the ranges. All the men engaged at the sawmills had heard of "tooth-leaved beech," but only one or two of them had seen it growing, and no one had seen it converted. I am quite satisfied that it must be extremely rare in the locality so that it has not come within reach of the sawmillers.

Now along with numerous instances of lack of durability exhibited by this timber are a comparatively few in which it has shown a much higher degree of durability than it has generally been considered to possess. Several fences are pointed out, the posts of which have been in the ground for periods varying from twelve to twenty years; the longer period, however, has in most cases exhausted their durability; those that have been erected ten or twelve years only will last several years longer. House blocks have proved durable, lower wall plates, and sleepers also. In the cases which I examined there can be no doubt as to the timber being "entire-leaved beech."

In estimating the durability of this timber, however, it must be remembered that these instances of fair durability are comparatively exceptional. It has been largely used in the Oxford district and other places for fences, but in numerous cases these fences have become dilapidated in so short a