WATTLES AND WATTLE-BARKS. 9 



0.) PREPARATION OF SEED FOB, GERMINATION. 



The outer covering of the seed is of great hardness, and under ordinary cir- 

 cumstances it will remain in the ground for many years before germination. 



I am indebted to Mr. William Neilley, of Sydney, for what appears to be a 

 well-authenticated instance of wattle seed remaining dormant in the ground 

 for over thirty-seven years. An allotment of land in the town of Bega, 

 purchased from Mr. Spence, formerly had wattles on it, but the trees and all 

 wattles near had long since been destroyed. After a lapse of thirty-seven 

 years Mr. Neilly had the land ploughed, and wattles sprang up thickly when 

 the ground was trenched. 



Bush-fires, however, usually hasten matters, and it is well known that 

 perfect forests of young wattles spring up in many places after these occur- 

 rences. The operations of nature are therefore assisted in practice by means 

 of heat, and this heat may be either dry or moist. Por the first, Mr. J. E. 

 Brown recommends a quantity of brushwood to be burnt to the condition of 

 expiring embers. " In this residuum of the fire the seed is placed, and mixed 

 up with the ashes and charred coals, and the whole is then allowed to remain 

 until cooled down. The seed is now ready for sowing. If the intention be 

 to sow it singly, by dibbling or in some other way, it will have to be cleaned 

 and separated from the residue of the fire by riddling, or by the aid of an 

 ordinary grain-winnower. If, however, the seed is to be sown broadcast, it 

 will be suflScient if the embers are raked off the heap, and the remainder, 

 containing both ash and seed, stored ready for sowing. The advantage 

 claimed for this method of preparation is that the seed can be sown either 

 broadcast upon the ground without covering, or dibbled in the soil in the 

 ordinary way, at any season of the year, and especially before the winter 

 rains set in." Care will, of course, require to be exercised to prevent loss by 

 over-burning. A fryingpan is used by some people for roasting wattle seeds, 

 and the danger of over-heating will be minimised if a little water be put into 

 the fryingpan. 



Secondly, the method of treatment by boiling, or hot w T ater. Mr. Brown 

 has recommended that the seed be placed in a vessel, water almost boiling 

 poured upon it, and left to soak for one or two days ; 'the seed is then taken 

 out and kept damp in a bag until swelling takes place. " The only drawback 

 to this system is that, when sown, the seed must of necessity be covered with 

 soil, and that the operation be carried out in the winter season only. Unless 

 the seed be covered as it is put out, so as to keep up the necessary supply of 

 moisture to complete germination, a change of dry weather would undoubt- 

 edly result in its entire loss." Nevertheless, this is the method which Mr. 

 Brown recommends growers, especially beginners, to adopt. 



