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frig TSOPICAL AGRICULTURIST, 



;Vj 



OTHER KINDS 01' TAN-YIELDINO TREES RECOMMENDED VOR 

 CULTURE. 



It is admitted that in the bark of our wattles we have 

 perhaps the best material iu the world for the heavy or 

 ordinary sorts of leather. For the production of the fine 

 sorts, of goods, however, our tanners require the tan- 

 yielding products of other plants, which at present they 

 have to import for this purpose. In order, therefore, to 

 encourage and extend our leather industry, I have to 

 recommend that the following-named plants, which pro- 

 duce some of the finer sorts of tannin matter, be cul- 

 tivated in the colony :— Quercus aegilops, or Valiona 

 Oak.— The cups of the acorn of this tree are largely 

 used by the burner. They produce a rich bloom to 

 leather. It may be cultivated in the more temperate 

 portions of the colony. Rhus coriaria, or Sumach.— A 

 small tree, which would grow well in the Adelaide hills. 

 The foliage and brauchlcts yield a rich tannin, which is 

 much used iu the production of turkey and other valu- 

 able leathers. Salix alba, or White Willow.— Produce an 

 excellent tanner's bark for such goods as glove leather. 

 The trees grow readily in the cooler districts of the colony. 



The above, with others, are recommended by the Victoria 

 Wattle Board for culture in that colony. — Adelaide 

 Observe) 1 . 



CULTIVATING WATTLES FOK BAKK IN AUSTRALIA. 



Since the natural supply of wattle bark in the Australian 

 colonies has become limited, bringing about a corre- 

 sponding rise in price, the question of cultivating the 

 tree especially for the highly valuable tanning material 

 has been frequently discussed. That there are many 

 portions of all the colonies where the industry would 

 probably be successful has been generally admitted, 

 and the more the subject is investigated the more clearly 

 does it become evident that the cultivation of the wattle 

 tree offers a wide field for profitable investment. The 

 rapid growth of the tree, the fact that it flourishes 

 upoi poor .soil of little value for any other purpose, and 

 the certainty of a high price for the bark, all favour the 

 presumption that wattle cultivation would well repay 

 attention. It is, of course, important that a supply of bark 

 should be kept up iu order that the tanning industry 

 may be maintained and extended, but the vital 

 question in connexion with the subject is whether or 

 not the bark will pay for production. A great deal 

 could be done in the way of augmenting the supply by 

 closing up state forests where the tree grows, and prevent- 

 ing the stripping of bark until trees attain certain 

 dimensions, while the formation of plantations upon state 

 reserves would also be certainly remunerative and beneficial 

 to the community. But it is further probable that in 

 many localities private individuals might profitably devote 

 their land to the cultivation of the best bark-producing 

 varieties of wattles. Much information and many valuable 

 suggestions upon this subject are contained in an official 

 report obtained by the Government of South Australia. 

 Mr. J. E. Brown, F. L. S., Conservator of Forests for 

 South Australia, has prepared a return in response to 

 an order from the Legislative Council, and the report 

 deals at length with the various aspects of the subject. 

 tt appears from the report that the subject is much 

 iu the same condition in South Australia as in Victoria. 

 Stripping bark from the natural forcs's of wattle trees 

 was for a long time a profitable industry. There was 

 much stripping but no pi nting, and as the trees became 

 ecarce the bark was taken from the small saplings; so 

 that the fores' s were unable to replace the trees destroyed. 

 The result has been that the bark industry, as well as 

 the various trades connected with it, has been seriously 

 injured through the Want of forethought and proper 

 management. The quality of the bark is referred to as 

 beiug superior for tanning purposes to that of any othrr 

 material, and its appreciation by the tanners of Europe 

 nnd elsewhere is believed to guarantee a good marlcei 

 for.-dl that could be produced 1-t regard to the different 

 ii' iirs, Mr ; I trovi n gives particulars as to the quality 

 of Mm- bark and l.he habits of the trees as well as to the 

 on h tit >us ol soil and clunttc most favourable to their 

 growth, Chi Lcacia pycuantha, the broad leal or golden 

 wattle. j» described as one ui the best varieties, yielding 



the best quality of bark, being hardy and quick-growing. 

 It is said to grow well on almost any kind of soil, but 

 its rate of growth is most rapid upon those of a sandy 

 nature, while the largest trees and the best bark are 

 produced upon sandy soil with a retentive clay subsoil. 

 This variety grows naturally over a large area of South 

 Australia, flourishing in localities where the rainfall is 

 under 15 in. per annum. Upon the; dry open plains of 

 that colony, however, Mr. Brown does not think wattle 

 cultivation could be successfully carried on. The Acacia 

 decureus, or black wattle, is described as being indigenous 

 chiefly to Victoria, New South Wales, and the south- 

 eastern portions or South Australia. It is said to flourish 

 in a sandy soil with clay subsoil, but trees of the largest 

 dimensions are found upon black, alluvial soil. Mr. Brown 

 considers that while it will do well in almost any kind 

 of soil, it will not grow satisfactorily and as a payable 

 crop iu exposed situations, or where the annual rainfall 

 is under 15 in. This species is stated to be of more 

 rapid growth, attains larger dimensions, and is sooner 

 available for stripping than the golden wattle, and its 

 cultivation is recommended in the mure moist portions 

 of the colony. The bark of this variety is found upon 

 analysis to contain from 29 to 34 per cent of tannic 

 acid, or about the same percentage as in the case of the 

 golden wattle. The Acacia dealbata* or silver wattle, 

 grows well in comparatively moist districts, but as its 

 bark is weak in tannic acid, its cultivation is not recom- 

 mended. Of the Acacia saligna, or the wattle of Western 

 Australia, little is known, although its bark is said to 

 be as rich iu tannic acid as that of the black or golden 

 wattle. The two last-named varieties are those which 

 offer the best recommendations for extensive cultivation. 

 Upon the treatment of wattle plantations the report 

 contains some valuable suggestions. The seed, owing to 

 the hard covering in which it is encased, requires special 

 treatment before sowing. It is recommended that the 

 seed be placed iu a vessel, and water of 150 deg. temp- 

 erature, or nearly boiling, poured upon it, leaving it to 

 soak one or two days, and then retaining it in a moist 

 condition until it shows signs of swelling. Seed so treated 

 must be sown in the rainy season and covered with soil. 

 In the case of land where wattles grow naturally the 

 report recommends making enclosures to keep off stock, 

 sowing seed upon patches not naturally provided, cut- 

 ting all undergrowth and useless trees, and at the end 

 of summer burning off grass and rubbish. After the 

 winter rains the young crop will come up, ami when the 

 trees are about a foot iu height thinning and pruning 

 is recommended so as to leave the best trees 4 ft. to G ft. 

 apart, with single stems. With a little attention in the 

 way of pruning during the second and third years it 

 is considered that the crop may be left to mature itself. 

 When there is a young crop already growing, thinning 

 and pruning as well as the sowing of seed in vacant 

 places are recommended, and allowing the young trees 

 to be drawn up into spindly shape through beiug too 

 close together is said to be injurious to future growth. 

 As the trees in the case of a matured plantation are 

 in various stages of growth, the annual stripping of the 

 larger trees will make room for the smaller ones. In 

 makiug new plantations where the plough can be used, 

 Mr. Brown recommends ploughing the land to a depth 

 of four inches, and pntting in the seed three or four 

 feet apart, two seeds, being put in at each point, and 

 the rows being five feet apart. During the fust two or 

 three years it is recommended that the soil should be 

 stirred and kept free from weeds by means of the 

 scarifier, thinning and pruning being attended to as in 

 the cases already referred to. Where the plough cannot 

 be used, it is proposed that a place for each tree be 

 prepared by means of the spade, and the seed covered 

 in to a depth of from J in, to -h in. Front January to 

 March is the period recommended for pruning, and fur 

 sowing, immediately after the winter seasi u has set in. 

 The report concludes with a Btatemenl of expenses and 

 upon a proposed plantation of 100 acres. The 

 period embraced is seven years \ 1,000 trees to i 1 - acre 



tl ij.mu , i ■ i ■ , . i . I i ■ i 10 1 1) i 

 tin estimate is based upon a value <>l C5 per ton foi 

 tin bark. Allowing £3 per acre foi bhi pun hase of 

 laud, £75 for fencing and making apparently liberal 



