8 July, 1907.] Wattle Growhig. 433 



over the area where possible, throw on the seed broadcast, and then brush 

 harrow it in or roll it. But the seed needs preparation ; quick germination 

 cannot be hoped for unless it has been subject to heat, soakage, or fer- 

 mentation. To heat seed, place it in a hot oven and as soon as it gets 

 fairly hot remove it ; this will keep for some time should rain not fall. 

 Soaked seed is too tender to handle much and is onlv of use in seed beds, 

 and should rain not fall after sowing it would perish. If land that has 

 been broken up bv ploughing can be secured it generally grows good 

 wattles. Even ploughed-in seed has resulted in a good plantation, but is 

 expensive. 



It is almost useless to grow wattles in plain country where trees have 

 not previously grown, as they will require attention of an expensive nature 

 CO insure success. Above all strive to grow them in scrubby areas, do not 

 ring or destroy the natural growth except where it greatly interferes with 

 the young trees. As a rule wattles grown in the open suffer severely from 

 insect pests and blight, and the want of sufficient humus in the soil checks 

 their growth. These trees are as a rule of low growth, thin and hard in 

 the bark, and as often as not cannot be stripped. The only way to 

 remedy this evil if the soil is hard, is tO' break it up previous to sowing. 

 On no account overcrowd the trees ; the object to be aimed at is marketable 

 bark and as much of it as possible. The only way to get this is by having 

 large stemmed and big branched trees. If the trees are crowded they will 

 only grow lank\' and thin, and thinning operations will have to* be resorted 

 to. If this is not done carefully the remaining trees will, through the 

 weight of their crowns, often bend over and even get torn out of the 

 ground ; they are so weak that a gale of wind will level them. From the 

 first, keep them well apart, and the after results will well repay this pre- 

 caution, besides saving the cost of thinning. 



Lopping of branches may be resorted to, but no tree under 6 feet high 

 needs it. It is after this height has been attained that a few branches 

 may be removed ; do not lop right up, rest content to remove a few only at 

 a time. It is advisable not to lop any tree higher than 10 feet; the 

 branches that grow beyond this are needed and will of themselves produce 

 both quality and quantity of bark. Above all cut close to the stem, do 

 not leave a stub sticking out. It is necessary that the wound should heal 

 quickly, in order to prevent the inroads of borers or fungus disease ; it 

 cannot heal properly as long as the dead bit of branch sticks there. Then 

 again, when stripping takes place these stubs are a cause of trouble and 

 annoyance, preventing the easy removal of the bark. An acre of well 

 grown wattle trees ought' not to number more than 150, and, if grown in 

 scrub, probably half this number. It is a great mistake to suppose that 

 more trees will return a better profit. It is more than probable that an 

 acre of 150 trees will produce more bark, and distinctly better quality, 

 than an acre of 500 whipsticks that can only produce thin, inferior bark. 



The greatest enemy to wattles is fire ; at no period of their lives can 

 they be considered safe, should this element attack them. In most cases 

 it kills them, and if not, so' injures them that the bark is useless for strip* 

 ping ; therefore beware of fire. 



Harvesting the Bark. 



At what age a tree is fit to strip depends on a lot of circumstances ; 

 but it can be taken as a rough guide, that with favorable seasons and 

 growth 6 to 8 ^•ears will lie the voungest age conducive to a decent bark 



