NOTES FROM THE BUSH.

Wellington Independent, Volume XIX, Issue 2138, 8 December 1864, Page 2

NOTES FROM THE BUSH.

NEW ZEALAND WOODS

(Written for the Wellington Independent. ) lam in the bush. I am in the veryheart of it, and while sitting in a brown study on the trunk of a recently felled white pine tree, it has struck me that a few notes on the bush, and a brief description of the various kinds of timber which grow there, may not be without interest to your readers, or unworthy of a place in the columns of the Independent. Such being my modest conviction, I hasten to send you tho iirst, of what I trust may become a series of articles from others, as well as myself, on this interesting subject.

I have heard a settler who had been in India and other parts of the world complain, that JN" aw Zealand had no timbers to be compared with the teak of India, the mahogany of Honduras, the .fines of Canada and the Baltio, or tho Uairn-trees of Australia. This is probably true, bat the more that is known of our timbers, the more likely are useful qualities to be discovered in them. Of the more common timbers in the bush we may first mention some of the good serviceable large woods, as the .Kauri, tne Puriri, the Pohutakawa, the Totara, the ilium, the J£ahi]sa.tea,

the Matai, tho Maire, the JJata, the Tawai. The fh'st three belong to the northern part New Zealand. The Kauri is not found in quantity farther south than the Manukau, although a straggler or two may be seen on the Lower Waikato, and even so far south as Kawhia harbor. It is a, valuable timber for house building and general carpentry, and of much durability. It is abn used for large spars tor ships. Its gum, dug out of the open fern hills where ancient forests have stood and disappeared, is an Auckland export. The Kauri, I have been told, is the only true pine in New Zealand. It is a handsome stately tree.

The Puriri grows commonly in the districts of Taranaki and Auckland. It is a very hard wood and of great strength and durability, and is used for house blocks, fencing posts, cogs for mill wright.work, and similar purposes. It has a very dark leaf, and a reddish flower and berry.

The Pohutakawa somewhat resembles the Uata, and delights in the rocky margins of sheltered bays and creeks on the sea coast. It is used for ships' timbers and knees, and is tough and strong. It has a crimson blossom. It is said to be along an overhanging Pohutakawa tree, that the shades of the departed Maoris slip ere they drop into the cleft in the high sea beat cliff at Te Keigna,, near the North Cape, which forms one entrance to the Maori Hades, liather an unquiet and uncanny neighbourhood during the last two years ! The Totara is one of our most valuable timbers on account of its very great durability as is proved by the soundness of the posts of old native pas, and of canoes belonging not to the handiwork of the present generation, as also by the sound logs lying on the open hills, where all traces of forest and of other trees are gone. It is much used for house building and carpentry and for fencing posts. It has not much lateral strength and so is not well adapted to bear a cross strain.

The Rimu aud Xahikatea are in too common use to require description. They are vulgai'ly called red and white pine, and are valuable for house building, but not of very great durability when exposed to the weather. The Kahikatea bears a berry edible by men and pigeons, as also' does the Matai a valuable timber of more durability. The Maire is hard and lasting.

The Bata grows from a vine which insidiously clasping a forest tree in its embraces, gradually kills it and becomes one of our largest forest trees, overtopping the general level of the trees, and conspicuous about Christmas time by its crown of blood red blossoms. As might be expected from its treatment of its early supporter, it is generally hollow hearted ; but its wood is fibrous^apd strong, although from its hardness and difficulty of splitting, it is not much used. The Tawai, called black and white birch, is a common timber on our ranges and possesses much strength and an average durability. Its bark is used for tanning.

,In the miscellaneous and less valuable class of trees we may mention the Puketea, growing to a considerable size but of not much value as a timber. It does not burn readily, and is common in wet flat bushes. Its trunk has the peculiarity of sending out supporting spurs at its base.

The Tawn. is good firewood but not lasting. It bears a large berry of a resinous flavor whose kernel is cooked by the natives.

The Manuka, a strong useful wood but of no great size, splits readily and is good for axe handles, rails for fencing, &c. The Titoki is hard, heavy, and strong, and bears an astringent berry.

The Kowhai, like the last mentioned tree, is of snvill size. In tlm island it grows chiefly on banks of rivers and .streams and its yellow flower is ono of spring's earliest blossoms. Its wood is hard and very durable when seasoned.

The Hinau, a useful ti"ee of considerable strength of wood. Its bai'k is used for a black native dye, and its berries to make oil.

The Tarata lias lemon scented leaves and its gum is used to scent oil by the natives. The Karaka, a handsome tree of small size, with a, dark glossy leaf and large yellow berry. The kernel of which when cooked is eaten by the Maorics, but it is said when raw to be poisonous; and if eaten, to produce convulsions. This tree is probably not indigenous to New Zealand, but brought by the natives at their arrival here, as it is usually met with only on sea coasts, river sides, and native settlements, and not in the primitive forest.

Into a notice of many other trees and shrubs it would take too much of your space to enter.

Wandbbeb