SPECIMENS OF TIMBER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21328, 1 November 1932, Page 15

SPECIMENS OF TIMBER

FINE SCHOOL COLLECTION ABOUT 1000 VARIETIES Fully 1000 types of timber are represented in a collection arranged by Mr. W. N. Burgess, the woodwork instructor in the manual training department of the Avondale School. The collection, which is classified and arranged around the walls of the department, rivals that at the Auckland Museum, for it includes practically every commercial variety of timber grown in the British Empire. For instance, there are over 100 specimens of timber from India, while those from Australia are nearly as numerous. There is also a good range of .specimens from Fiji, and those from South Africa, British Guiana and the Solomon Islands are equally comprehensive. Mr. Burgess has not neglected foreign sources to add to his collection, for practically a complete range of tho timbers grown in the Philippines, Sarawak and Siarn are catalogued. It has required several years to secure such a collection, which has largely been made possible by exchange with the forestry departments of various countries, giving specimens of Now Zealand timbers in return. Mr. Burgess has started in a small way to grow specimens of various kinds of New Zealand tree 3 in a plot of the school ground adjacent to his department. As yet only about a dozen specimens are available for study, but the rates of growth and any other characteristics are carefully noted from time to time. Ibe bovs apparently aa-e keen in this particular branch of their study, as all the live specimens have been contributed by tho pupils themselves. It is hoped in time to have a comprehensive display of native trees in the school grounds.