C—3d

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OLEA (Linne). The Olive. Olea Cunninghamii (Hooker f.). " Maire-raunui," " Black Maire." New Zealand, North Island. —A tree of largo dimensions, producing remarkably heavy, dense timber, of great strength and durability, used for bridge-building and other purposes where great strength is required; largely employed for machine-beds and bearings, &c; it is also used for ornamental turnery, inkstands, &c CATALPA (Jussieu). Catalpa speciosa (Walter). Valley of the Mississippi, &c.—A tree 40ft. to 80ft. high, affording timber of remarkable durability, although not of the largest dimensions. This species is now being planted in Canada for railway-sleepers and other purposes where durability is required. C. bignonioides (Walter). Carolina, Georgia, Florida, &c.—Similar to the last, 40ft. to 60ft. high. Wood valued for railway-sleepers, fencing, &c. Not adapted to the climate of the South Island, as it suffers from early winter frosts. It is better known to gardeners as C. syringcefolia (Sims), and has been cultivated under that name in England for many years. MYOPOEUM (Banks and Solander). Myoporum leetura (Forsf). " Ngaio." New Zealand, Kermadec Islands to Southland.—A shrub or small tree, 30ft. high, of great value for sheltering littoral plantations. Wood hard, dense, durable; used for house-blocks, posts, furniture, and turner's work. VITEX (Linne). Vitex littoralis (A. Cunningham). "The Puriri." New Zealand, from the North Cape to Poverty Bay and Cape Egmont. —This affords one of the most durable timbers known—dense, heavy, and of great strength. It makes the best railway-sleepers, and is unsurpassed for piles, sills, house-blocks, machine-beds, bridges, and all purposes where great strength and durability are ' required. The foliage is very striking, and presents an appearance almost unique amongst New Zealand trees. It is easily cultivated near the sea as far south as Cook Strait, but south of Poverty Bay will not succeed in inland localities, being easily affected by frosts. LAUEELIA (Jussieu). Laurelia novaj-zeiandiaa (Hookf.). "Pukatea." New Zealand, from the North Cape to Southland. —Height, 80ft. to 120ft., giving off large buttresses at the base of the trunk. Timber firm, of even texture, tough and elastic, but rather soft; not durable when in contact with the ground, but of great value for general house-building, boat-building, and furniture; boards used for roofingpurposes have remained sound after being in use seventeen years; nails may be driven into boards without causing them to split. Should be planted only in moist soils. L. aromatica (Jussieu). Chili.—Attains larger dimensions than the preceding species. Timber applied to similar purposes, but is said to possess greater durability. LITSEA (Lambert). Litsea calicaris (Bentham and Hooker f). " Mangeao." New Zealand, North Cape to Rotorua. —A small tree, 30ft. to 40ft. high, trunk l-|ft. to 2|ft. in diameter. Wood white, oven, firm, and remarkably tough ; employed in Auckland for bullock-yokes, ships' blocks, &c.; but the supply is said to be running short, and inferior woods are substituted in its place. GREYIL'LEA (R. Brown). Grevillea robusta (A. Cunningham). "Silky Oak." South-eastern Australia.—-A beautiful tree, with fern-like foliage, attaining upwards of 100ft. in height. Wood firm, elastic ; utilized for coopers' ware and cabinet-building. A fine specimen of this tree formerly grew in the old garden of the Auckland Domain, but was barbarously chopped down for firewood. Small specimens are to be seen in the vicinity of Wanganui and other places. BUXUS (Linne). The Box Tree. Buxus sempervirens (Linne). "The Turkey Box." Southern Europe, Temperate Asia.— Height, sft. to 30ffc. Wood smooth, dense, and heavy, weighing nearly 691b. to the cubic foot when dry. Used for mathematical and musical instruments, weaving-machinery, rollers, &c, and especially for wood-engraving. It is largely imported into England from Spain, and from Black Sea ports ; but the supply is falling off, and sticks l-|in. in diameter find ready sale. The box should be planted in calcareous or gravelly soils. As it will flourish in rocky places, it affords the means of utilizing many waste spots where nothing else can be cultivated with profit. It is, however, of slow growth, rarely exceeding from 6in. to 9in. in a year. ULMUS (Linne). The Elm. Ulmus Americana (Linne). "White Elm." Nova Scotia to Georgia.—Height, 60ft. Timber light, but durable, especially under water. Used for hubs, planking for carts, wagons, but not fully equal to the English elm. U. racemosa (Tho?nas). "Cork Elm." Eastern United States.—Timber similar to the last; tough and strong. When waved and curled, much used for furniture. U. campestris (Linne). "The English Elm." Europe, Temperate Asia.—Height, 60ft. to 100ft.; trunk, 2ft. to 4ft. in diameter. Timber red, stout, tough, durable under water, or when kept entirely dry, but in the latter case frequently attacked by a small boring beetle; formerly used for bows; extensively used for hubs and wheelwrights' planking, ships' blocks, keels, pump-