106 



Following is an interesting note on Mulga, from the Sydney Mail, in 

 1890, written by an author whose name I have lost: 



We now come to the edible scrubs, which often, of necessity, take their 

 place amongst the fodder plants of Australia. Amongst these, the most wide- 

 spread and perhaps the best known is the Mulga. On the southern flats of the 

 main inland rivers, Mulga grows as a low bushy tree, the branches commenc- 

 ing to spread some 6 feet from the ground. In the north, it grows with a tall 

 straight stem, 20 feet high, and is, therefore, quite unavailable as a fodder 

 plant. On the west coast, and in the interior, it is a true scrub, attaining a 

 good height, but branching out only a foot or two from the ground. Both here 

 and on the lower courses of the rivers, it grows in open forest ; to the north it is 

 a thick scrub almost too dense to ride through. It is not by any means a 

 barren scrub, good feed, both grass and herbage, being generally found within 

 its limits. As a rule, it is only available for cattle, although the species found 

 in Western Australia grows low enough for sheep to feed on. The utility of 

 horns to cattle when scrub-feeding is soon apparent. An old bullock will twist 

 down saplings and break down limbs of trees, and obtain a good meal where 

 a polled beast would go hungry. Mulga is likely to become an important 

 factor in the settlement of the interior, as it forms good fodder for camels, 

 and, as they are certainly to be the beasts of burden and draught over the 

 long dry stages of the heart of Australia, until superseded by steam and iron, 

 the universal presence of the Mulga will prove of some service. Mulga affects 

 all kinds of soil. It is to be found on hard, gravelly ironstone ridges, on the 

 dreaded sand-hills of the desert, and on the alluvial flats of the inland rivers. 



In western ISTew South Wales two kinds of galls are commonly found on 

 these trees. One kind is very plentiful, very astringent, and not used, but 

 the other, while less abundant, is larger, succulent, and edible. These la'tter 

 galls are called "Mulga apples," and are said to be very welcome to the 

 thirsty traveller. 



General Remarks on Mulga. 



Mr. C. J. McMaster, Chairman of the Western Lands Board, has veuy 

 kindly furnished the following general remarks on Mulga: 



Mr. D. W. F. Hatton, Inspector of Stock, stationed at Bourke, who has had 

 many years practical experience in feeding stock upon Mulga, states : 



" There are four different kinds of Mulga in the Bourke district. Umltrclht 

 Mulga so called because it somewhat resembles an open umbrella grows on 

 hard, stony ground, and attains a height of about 10 feet ; it has a narrow leaf, 

 and is a good stock food. Broad-leaved Mulga thrives best in the deeper and 

 better soils in the valleys, between the stony ridges ; it grows about 15 to 20 

 feet high, but as a fodder tree does not rank as high as the umbrella or the 

 yellow varieties. Black Mulga : The leaves arc dark and narrow, and are shorter 

 than the other narrow-leaved kinds, being only about 2 inches in length. 14 

 attains a height of from 15 to 20 feet. Ycllotr Mulga grows to about 20 feet 

 high, and prefers sandy, red-soil ridges ; it is considered one of the best of the 

 Mulgas for fodder purposes ; the leaf is comparatively broad, and has a yellow 

 tinge. 



" The leaves of all Mulgas are eaten by sheep and cattle, and the seeds, 

 particularly, are relished and are very fattening ; but horses, unless bred in 

 Mulga country, do not take kindly to it.'' 



Mulga appears to be the most universally distributed fodder tree in the 

 arid parts of Australia, and during times of extreme drought the limbs (with 

 the exception of one or two of the leading ones) are cut off for the benefit of 

 the starving stock. 



In former years Mulgas have been destroyed on thousands of acres of land, 

 because the precaution to leave at least one leading branch uncut was not 

 observed; but now that stock-owners realise that stock and rabbits eagerly 

 devour young plants, and that, consequently, the supply of Mulga the mainstay 

 in times of drought depends upon the proper treatment of the existing matured 

 trees, they, as a rule, exercise the utmost care to conserve the trees as much 

 as possible. 



If Mulga is cut off at the stump it will not throw out new growth. In this 

 respect it differs from nearly every other Western fodder-producing tree. 



