TIIK Itr.AfK W.MTLI-: IXDrSTKN'. jStj 



Percentage of 



Total Total re-exi)ort to 



it)ii. inii)()rts. re-exports. total im]x>rt. 



£ £ 

 Bark, almost entirely 



Mimosa (= Wattle) -M^J-'i^ i''^7.5''^7 77 I'e-rceni. 



Extract 739-3-3 28,142 3.8 



< )ther 'I'anning- Ma- 

 terials 5^\v5'^3 41.729 7-4 



" In other words, in i()i] the United Kingdom used 96.2 per 

 cent, of the extract, and 92.6 per cent, of other tanning materials 

 im])orted. as against only 23 per cent, of the hark imported." 



From this it would appear that wattle hark went from 

 England to Germany to he made into extract, and was theti 

 shi{)ped hack to England. 



The \ery extensive use of extract in England is amply 

 shown in this, and gives every encouragement to the further 

 ])roduction of extract in Natal. 



Grading. — In my former huUetin (page 148) 1 urged that 

 high-grade bark only he sent to Europe, or, at least, that such 

 be sent separate from mixed, mouldy, and low grade 

 material. On November 8th, 1912. Dr. j. Cordon Parker, on 

 behalf of the United Tanners" Federation of Great Britain and 

 Ireland, wrote to the South African Tracle CcMiimissioner sug- 

 gesting that instead of sending all bark forward either as " fair 

 average quality,'' or on sample, or for sale as bark without 

 sample, it would be better for all concerned, grower, seller, and 

 buyer, if some system of grading could be adopted whereby 

 mature and innnature bark, as also perfect and damaged bark, 

 would be sent forward under different rect\gnised brands. This 

 matter was seriously taken up by the growers and the Govern- 

 ment, with the result that grading from Durban port was begun 

 by Government Notice 2032, December 2t^, 191 3. and a Govern- 

 ment grader appointed. 



The classification was amended l)y Notice 655, April 17, 

 191 4, to be — 



H I. Heavy (choice). 



H 2. Heavy (fair average ((uality). 



M I. Medium (choice). 



M 2. Meditun (fair axerage (juality). 



T I. Thin (choice). 



T 2. Thin (fair average quality). 



B.G. Below grade. 



This continued in force and worked satisfactorily until 

 September 30, 1914, when the grading was discontinued in \ iew 

 of the European situation. 



An imix3rtant enquiry is whether successive crops of wattle 

 on the same ground are better or worse than earlier crops. 



Experience varies much on this, and so does jjractice in the 



