AN AUSTRALIAN FOREST.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 3247, 3 July 1872, Page 5

AN AUSTRALIAN FOREST.

((t'fi'Unfj Atlivrt'r* r. J The clearing of a track, from Dean's March to the uew township of Lome, a 1 Lcutit Bay, which for some time past has been progressing under the superintendence of Mr Morau, surveyor to the shire of Win ehelsca, has been completed, and betweer Winchclsca and the new settlement there is now a very passable road for any description of traffic. For several weeks a stall" of fort} labourers vvcro busily engaged in the v/ofk. The track to be cleared was nearlj fourteen miles in extent, over very rugged and thickly timbered country. The greatest impediment to tho progress of the men was the quantity of timber, for thej had literally to hew their way through «'i dense thicket of forest giants of formidable dimensions. Tho finest trees encountered were stringy bark, which are said to abound in these ranges, sonio of them measuring '100 feet in length, as straight as gun bar rela, and from 0 feet to 9 feet in diameter. These, however, are surpasHcd in bulk by the magnificent specimens of blue and white gums, the more venerable of which have been measured at the basu and found to be as much as twenty yards in girth. Other valuable kind 4of treea abound in the valleys ; in fact, the ranges are said to enclose a mine of wealth for the future cabinetmakers of the Colony. Among tho smaller class of trees that are found in abundance may be mentioned the lightwood, blackwood, and peneilwood, the enrrajong, and sassafax. Silver wattles grow to a large size, and in portions of the track formed a scrub so dense that it was with difficulty the timber when fallen could be cleared awaj'. Tho track was made mostly skirting the sides of tho ranges, and although there were several cuttings, tlte ground was of such a loose nature that no great difficulty was experien ed in making the required levels. Tho soil is generally of excellent quality, and this was fully indicated by the quantity of bread fruit found immediately below the fjurfneo. in making some of the cuttings. The bread-fruit grows in largo tubers, a cluster of which are found connected together by a small fibrous root. The largest m a cluster is as big as a man's head, the others generally decreasing in size. When cut they present tho appearance of rice puddings, but although es'eemed a delicacy by the aborigines, they are too tasteless and insipid to become valuable for food. Some of the men engaged on the track, howeverjwere able to make a hearty repast from them by baking them in fat, the Bame aa fried potatoes. The workmen describe tho country as something magnificent, abounding in resources that require but development to ljecomc elements of wealth for the rest of the colony, Btkakgkkh paying a viwit to Ounedin ar« often «A a loss to know what is the be«t csUblishmen^to vlsii for tho purchase of drapery and clothing. Hfcibert, llaynea, and Co. offe special advantage* to the pub lie that can bo met with nowhere el*s in tho city, They keep at all time* the largest and best asso>t<v) stock of every class of goods, imported direct from th<i leading manufacturers anil warehousemen at home which being bought entirely upor. «wd» terras, they an enabled to offer gootln of such sterling viUtw as cannoi be equalled by any other k«iu>o in the trade. Ever] article in stock is tnarked at a fliod price for rood) money, from which no abatement is ever made, be that the most inexperienced buy their goodfl at tl< same prices as the test judges. Their terra* are—nei ca*h, without <lincfiunt or reductions of any kind. A fuller description of their utock ill be found in ai advertisement on the first page of thl« paper.[Advt.)