PACIFIC COAST WOODS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 4029, 16 January 1875, Page 6 (Supplement)

PACIFIC COAST WOODS.

(From the San Francisco BuUathi.)

The timber-trees of the Pacific Coa_st are attracting much attention, in.Europe, Australia, and New where the growing timber 13 comparatively limited, either aa to variety or supply. About the only native tree in Australia or New Zealand, to which the attention of Californians and the people of the Sou thorn Sta'es has been called within the past few years, is the eucalyptus. The interest manifested in certain of our trees by the New Zealanders is best illustrated by a letter lately received in this city, from o, professional gontjoinan of Ohvistehurch, province of Canterbury. He acknowledges the receipt of copies of the Bulletin containing information regarding the modes of procuring seeds ot the; famed plans rasicjuU and other coniferous U'ees of America, and says that he made the published article the basis of a lecture which he delivered before the Horticultural Society of Christchuvch. He concludes his letter with an order for several varieties of seeds and..shrubs, and an intimation that several leading members of the community will-send for seeds and shrubs at an early day. The forogoing represents one of the most interesting instances of the appreciation of Pacific coast trees abroad. Tnere are others which are more valuable in a commercial point of view. Single orders from France, England, and Germany for seeds valued at 200dol, and even 300d01., are repeived in this city every season. It is a singular fact that, in the Eastern and Southern States, California evergreen trees are unknown, while in Prance, England, and Germany they are grown in both public and private parks and gardens and are greatly admired. Withtn a few days Sonntag and Co., of this city, have forwarded samples of woods to Germany in response to a semi-official order. The woods include first tho Abies Doughsrii (Douglas spruce) a tree of very large size, resembling in form the Norway spruce. It is or.c of the grandest of the group of giants which combine to form the forests of this Western shore, and is especially adapted for ship-building. Second on tho list is the" Cupressns Lawsoniana (Port Oxford cypress), a beautiful tree with graceful drooping branches, which attains a height of GO feet. The third and last tree represented in the collection is the Thuja G'ujantea (Oregon cedar), tho finest specimen of the genus, Tho tree is famed for the beauty of its foliago and t;he durability of its wood. The woods thus forwarded will be scientiScally tested by engineers of the German Government for the purpose of ascertaining the strength and durability of each ; and should the testa prove satisfactory, the trees named will doubtloss form an important variety in the German forests. ' ' '"

Encouraging evidences of the intelli gent appreciation of Pacific coast woods multiply with every season. Thp Kimball Manufacturing Company, a prominent local corporation, haye been quiet|y experimenting with the coast woods for. over a year., and, acting on their own experience, they inaugurated the manufacture of furniture from these woods on an extensive scale. The furniture for the Palace Bofcel wiU be manufactured^ exc}u-

sively of Pacific coast woods, and by tno Jiiniball Company. Numerous other contracts for furniture made of native woods have also been secured by the same Company.

Aside from the woods chiefly valued for ornamental purposes there are native woods too numerous for mention which are ol commercial importance and realise high prices. A visit to the lumberyards of this city will give a person—even an old resident—a more intelligent idea of the variety of woods on the coast than he has ever had before, if he has not paid special attention to the subject. At the same time, the experience of the countries of Europe, in regard to the destruction of forests, should be remembered. Our lumber interests should be jealously guarded from abuse.