SOME MINOR VEGETABLE PRODUCTS. 183 



we liave not a numl^or of species yielding,' cincol oils. As regarclH 

 tliis question, we (as well as oui- sister colonies) lack (wo tliinjjs, first, 

 a botanical survey of the territory, from wliicli would be at once seeu 

 the distribution of our various Eucalypts; and second, an exhaustivo 

 series of experiments to indicate the average composition of the oils 

 produced by the various species of Eucalyptus. Until these two things 

 are done, the Eucalyptus oil industry will never make tlie ])rogret!s 

 and assume the dimensions that I believe it is capable of doiuf in 

 this Colony. Meantime the experiments arc largely left to private 

 enterprise, with the result that some firms turn out very creditable 

 oils. The following species promise good results, and should receive 

 careful, practical tests on a commercial scale : — Narrow-leaved iron- 

 bark f Eucalyptus crehraj, grey box fE. hemiphhjinj , tallowwood 

 (E. microcorijs) , Argyle apple (E. pnlcerulantdj, Murray red gum 

 fE. rostrataj , and the various mallees near Balrauald and in different 

 parts of the Colony. Space forbids the matter being dealt with at 

 greater length here, and I will only add that I will with pleasure give 

 intending Eucalyptus oil distillers any further information or advice 

 in my power. 



Wattle-harkh' and Extracts. 



That our tan-barks are both abundant and excellent is now recog- 

 nised by everyone who has given attention to Australian vegetsible 

 products. They are the product of ornamental, usually yellow- 

 flowering trees, botanically known as Acacias, or in Australia popu- 

 larly as wattles. Hence wattle-bark, but in England the trade-name 

 is usually Mimosa bark, our Acacias having been called Mimosas at the 

 beginning of the century and later. Our richest wattle-barks contain 

 from 25 to 40 per cent, of tannin. Most of the bark which comes 

 into the Sydney market is the product of one or other of the forms 

 of Acacia decurrens, popularly known as black or green wattle. We 

 have other kinds of wattle yielding bark containing a fair percentage 

 of tannin, which will best be utilised when extract-works are more 

 abundant than they are at present. 



We want a little more enterprise in this matter of extract-making. 

 Extracts for tanning are thoroughly well known in the trade, are 

 made in enormous quantities in America and Europe, and in small 

 quantities in, at least, three Australian colonies. The advantages of an 

 extract are mainly two, — uniformity of product and saving of carriage. 

 What is the sense of conveying, perhaps thousands of miles, large and 

 varying percentages of unnecessary ligneous matter? The poten- 

 tialities of wal tie-bark extracts are enormous, and what are the 

 difficulties? Surely to the practical man, determined to surmount 

 them, by no means insuperable. The raw-material (including small 

 and refuse pieces of bark, twigs, &c., which are v,-asted at the present 

 time), can be digested in wooden vats, the heat of the sun being 

 permitted to assist in the evaporation in some places and some seasons. 

 The wood of the stripped trees, and the exhausted ''trash" arc available 

 for fuel, while the evaporation can be pushed as far a« expedient m 

 vacuum pans which, owing to the vicissitudes of the sugar-mdu-^try, 

 can now be obtained at a low rate. The key to the difficulty of 

 getting rid of the superfluous gum in extracts lies, in my opinion, m 



