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13.— NATIVE PEAR (Xylomelum occidentale).
A small tree attaining a height of 20 to 25 feet, with a short bole, and a diameter of about 12 inches. The bark is persistent, grey or almost black, and lightly fissured.
The leaves of this tree are characteristic. They are about three inches long and two inches wide, with rounded ends. All around the margins are a series of prickly teeth, which gives the leaf a holly-like appearance. The flowers are large and beautiful, and are arranged in spikes, which are clustered at the ends of the branches. They are a light sulphur-yellow in colour and covered with a short, silky wool. The fruits are distinctly pear-shaped, over three inches long, 1¾ inches wide, and when ripe split open down one side. Each fruit contains two seeds, which lie closely together, and are provided each with a long wing. There is also a native pear of the sand-plains of the Avon district, which can easily be distinguished from this species by its long narrow leaves. The fruits are similar but somewhat smaller. Its botanical name is Xylomelum angustifolium.
Weight per cubic foot (green)—56lbs.
At 12 per cent, moisture—46lbs.
Transverse strength—7,669lbs. per square inch.
Tensile strength—7,000lbs. per square inch.
A tree yielding a most ornamental and dark brown wood, with a beautiful figure. It is light, and makes up into very fine furniture wood; finished with a wax surface it resembles moiré silk.
It is to be found growing all along the sand-plain country, between the Darling Range and the sea coast. Like sheoak, it suffers very badly from fire, and it is therefore very hard to get in sizes greater than 12 inches in diameter. It is important that thorough fire-protection measures be taken in order to prevent the extinction of this beautiful furniture wood.
