56 • TASMANTAN ADVANTAGES, &C. 



to the end of August, 1903. 14,061 crates, containing 351,525 

 rabbits, have been exported, valued at £7323 Is. 9d. 



Timber, Tan Bark, Perfumes, &c. 



The acacia (known as wattle), a tree which is common all 

 over the Island, produces a bark rich in tannin, and would 

 well repay systematic cultivation. The bark is collected in 

 a somewhat wasteful and primitive way from the natural 

 growth, but the cultivation of wattle in plantations is 

 unknown, although it is probable that if systematically 

 carried out it would be a very profitable industry ; wattle 

 bark to the value of £40,000 was exported during 1902. A 

 large extent of the country, especially the eastern half of 

 the Island, where land is to be had at a reasonable price, 

 will grow wattle bark to advantage. Flowers of many 

 kinds for perfume and honey, would do well ; fi'uit also 

 could be grown to advantage, and would probably ripen 

 earlier than in the districts already planted, would realise 

 good prices, and Avould enable the present output to be very 

 largely exceeded without increasing the difficulty of dispos- 

 ing of the crop. The East Coast, though settled in the early 

 days, has been lying dormant for many years, but it can be 

 recomn#nded to persons wishing to acquire land which 

 would not involve the very heavy labour of clearing. The 

 climate of the East Coast is remarkably equable and 

 salubrious, even for Tasmania ; the rainfall is regular, and 

 the soil is of good average fertility. The East Coast appears 

 an ideal place for the production of fruit, honey, and per- 

 fumes. J^either honey nor perfumes are made as an 

 industry in Tasmania, although in other countries less 

 favourably situated, incomes amounting individually to 

 thousands of pounds are made from these industries. 



At the present time large districts in Tasmania are covered 

 with forests, growing trees of immense size, and there are 



