The Flame-Tree
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The Forest Flora of New South Wales Volume 7 Parts 61-70 Maiden, J. H. (Joseph Henry) University of Sydney Library Sydney, Australia 1999 http://setis.library.usyd.edu.au/badham © University of Sydney Library. The texts and images are not to be used for commercial purposes without permission. Illustrations have been included from the print version. Source Text: Prepared from the print edition published by John Spence, Acting Government Printer Sydney 1922 J.H.Maiden, Government Botanist of New South Wales and Director of the Botanic Gardens, Sydney. Volume 7 includes Parts 61 to 70. All quotation marks retained as data. All unambiguous end-of-line hyphens have been removed, and the trailing part of a word has been joined to the preceding line. Images exist as archived TIFF images, one or more JPG and GIF images for general use. Australian Etexts botany natural history 1910-1939 26th November 1999 Final Checking and Parsing Forest Flora of New South Wales Volume 7: Parts LXI-LXX Sydney William Applegate Gullick, Government Printer 1922. Part LXI. Joseph Henry Maiden The Forest Flora of New South Wales Part LXI Sydney William Applegate Gullick, Government Printer 1917 Published by the Forest Department of New South Wales, under authority of the Honourable the Secretary for Lands. Price, 1/- per Part, or 10/- per dozen Parts, payable in advance. No. 223: Eucalyptus propinqua Deane and Maiden. Small-Fruited Grey Gum. (Family MYRTACEÆ) Botanical description. — Genus Eucalyptus. (See Part II, p. 33). Botanical description. — Species E. propinqua Deane and Maiden in Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W., xx, 541 (1895), with Plate xliii. A large, straight growing, cylindrical-stemmed tree, found up to 4 or 5 feet in diameter, and 120 feet and more in height. Bark. — It has a grey, dusty-looking, slightly raspy appearance as regards its bark. Next to the Blue or Flooded Gum (saligna) it is one of the straightest stemmed trees in the forest. The bark darkens, peels off in large, longitudinal irregular patches, leaving a smooth white surface, which in course of time darkens, peels off, and the process is indefinitely repeated. The bark closely resembles, and is perhaps not to be distinguished from, that of E. punctata. Timber. — Dark coloured, and so closely resembling Red Ironbark (E. siderophloia) that care is required to distinguish the two timbers. Inclined to have rings or "scabs" of kino, which diminishes the demand for it for sawn stuff. Very durable in or out of the ground, but its tensile strength inferior to that of the Ironbark already referred to. Juvenile leaves. — More broadly lanceolate, and with the marginal vein more distant from the edge, than in the case of mature leaves. At first opposite. Mature leaves. — Narrow lanceolate and very uniform. Average length 4–5 inches, breadth 3/4 inch. Veins not prominent, lateral veins nearly parallel; marginal vein on or very close to the edge of the leaf as a very general rule. Edge usually slightly recurved. Peduncles flattened. Calyx-tube hemispherical, and longer than the operculum. Sometimes with the angles of the flattened pedicel decurrent. Flowers in a marked manner pedicellate; usually in tons, but the umbels containing as few as five flowers. Operculum hemispherical in general outline, but with a low pointed apex. Stamens inflexed before expansion, the anthers opening by parallel slits, and all fertile. Fruit. — Very uniform in size, about 2 1/2 lines broad by 1 1/2 lines deep. Usually 4-celled, occasionally 3-celled; 5-celled not seen at present. The rim usually shows two sharp edges, with the intervening space concave. The valves are well exserted. Botanical Name. — Eucalyptus, already explained (see Part II, p, 34); propinqua, Latin, near of kin, or allied, a name given because of its close affinity to E. punctata DC. Vernacular Name. — "Grey Gum," because of the dull grey appearance of the bark. This species is fortunate in having but one general name. To distinguish it from Eucalyptus punctata, a Grey Gum to which it is most closely related, the name "Small-fruited Grey Gum" is suggested. Aboriginal Name. — "Warrimbarng" of those of the Hastings River (Forest Ranger George R. Brown). Timber. — Characteristics. — It is so much like ironbark in appearance that it is difficult to discriminate between the two timbers. That will be the best guide to its appearance. An expert would usually detect the substitution for ironbark (if he suspected any substitution), by noting that a chip of grey gum is more brittle than that of ironhark. It also cuts less horny. Nevertheless, the two timbers are wonderfully alike, and for many purposes grey gum is an efficient, substitute for ironbark, for it is remarkably durable. Its inferior strength, as compared with ironbark, precludes its use as girders of any length, and when substituted for ironbark in sleepers, the bolts and spikes work loose in them. I would encourage its use in every possible way for wood-blocks. The chief objectors to its use at the present time the saw-millers themselves, as the logs often contain gum-scabs or gum-veins. At present, where unblemished timber is insisted upon for wood-blocks, a saw-miller cannot afford to cut up grey gum (although it frequently turns out beause of the risk of having it condemned. I have often spoken on this subject in connection with bloodwood, and would emphasise the opinion that wood blocks should not be condemned because they contain a few gum-scabs or veins. Such excess of care practically leads to great waste of really valuable timber. Principal uses. — Recommended for paving-blocks, as already stated. It is in high repute for posts, having excellent records when employed in this very trying situation. I have seen it used for felloes and for shingles. It is very largely used as an ironbark substitute for railway sleepers, &c., which fact is in itself testimony to its excellence. The late Mr. J. V. de Coque wrote of it:— "This timber must not be confounded, with the 'Blue Gum.' (E. saligna). It is a remarkably close grained, durable timber, and except as regards strength (to which it is inferior to ironbark), it makes an admirable substitute, particularly in the erection of large beam bridges. It is very like red ironbark in general appearance, and is often substituted for it. An experienced man can however detect the difference owing to the shortness of grain. A chip of grey gum bent between the fingers will snap instantly. The quality of this timber varies considerably like most hardwoods in different districts. I found that the best variety is found in the Hawkesbury district, particularly around Wyong and Cooranbong. Grey gum from these places have a record of thirty years in bridge members. For general building work it is hardly so suitable as some of the pale hardwoods; it is hard to plane, and in scantling sizes. subject to crack and open. As piles or girders I consider it next to ironbark, and one of the best of our timbers." Ironbark and Grey Gum. — With the view of economising Ironbark, various suggestions were made, including the calling for tenders of sleepers of various sizes. Under date 3rd July, 1889, the Secretary for Railways wrote that the Engineer for Existing Lines declined to recommend the acceptance of sawn instead of split sleepers, but with a view to economy in respect of timber, the Commissioners had decided that in future as far as possible, tenders should he invited for sleepers and fence posts at the same time. One cannot blame railway engineers for preferring Ironbark to Grey Gum if they can get the former, but for a long time certain North Coast foresters, in view of the shortage of Ironbark which was everywhere proclaimed, and of the fact that Grey Gum is a really valuable timber, brought the merits of Grey Gum under notice, but the time was not opportune. Here are two letters from Foresters who impressed its excellence on me and with whom I maintained a correspondence on the subject for years. (a) From the late Forest Ranger Augustus Rudder, of Booral, dated 15th July, 1890. "Fortunately we have here an excellent substitute for Ironbark in a tree locally known as Grey Gum. "This timber is in quantity, and up to 4 and 5 feet in diameter, but it is said the railway authorities will not accept of it for railway purposes, for what reason I am at a loss to determine, unless it is their want of knowledge of its true character; probably because they have been misled by some other timber of the same local name. As to the lasting qualities of this Grey Gum in the ground, and generally, I have known and used it for over forty years, and will stake my reputation as a Forest Ranger on this my testimony to its excellence, nor is it more liable, if so much so, as Ironbark to the ravages of the white ant, and is far superior to the Broad-leaved Red Ironbark (E. siderophloia), which is so readily accepted for railway purposes. In what I have said of this Grey Gum I will, I am sure, be sustained by nine-tenths of the old experienced bushmen, who invariably speak well of it." (b) From the late Forest Ranger G. R. Brown, of Port Macquarie, dated 7th July, 1890. "In view of Ironbark timber being so much used for girders and railway sleepers, I have the honour to ask that the following suggestion might be tested:— 'To use Grey Gum, and Spotted Gum, more particularly the former, for railway sleepers, and other purposes where practicable.' My reasons are: In my district Grey Gum is almost as plentiful as the Blackbutt, but only an odd log is used by the sawmills.