10 WATTLES AND WATTLE-BARKS. 



Professor Tate, who, in addition to his scientific knowledge, has had much 

 practical experience in wattle-planting, has instituted a series of experiments 

 upon the temperature to which wattle seed may be exposed in assisting it to 

 germinate. The experiments are useful, in that they enable the operation 

 of treatment with hot water to be conducted with greater confidence. In my 

 own case I have been afraid to destroy the vitality of seed by the application 

 of too high a temperature ; but Professor Tate shows that the seeds may be 

 boiled for several minutes without injury, though there is no advantage in 

 heating the water above 150 F. I quote ^his important experiments from 

 Mr. Brown's Report : 



Experiment 1. Acacia pycnanilia. Equal parcels of seeds saturated with water at the 

 following degrees of temperature : 



The seeds germinated in about equal proportions at the 

 end of three weeks. 



212; 



Experiment 2. Acacia decurrens. Seed saturated with boiling water, and kept in wet sand 

 in a warm place, germinated at the end of two weeks. 



Experiment 3. Acacia sal>'gna. S( ed saturated with water at 212, July 22ud ; seeds 

 began to burst, July 29th. 



Experiment 4. Acacia pycnantha 



July 22nd, boiled for 1 minute. -s 



,, 3 minutes. / All the seeds germinated 



,,5 C August 9th. 



(d.) THE BAMBOO METHOD OP PLANTING. 



Mr. J. E. Brown advocates the raising of wattles in bamboos. The raising 

 of trees by this means is so common in India, has been so successfully carried 

 out in South Australia* by Mr. Brown, and is withal so simple, that I give 

 a brief account of the method here, compiled from that gentleman's evidence 

 before the Victorian Eoyal Commission on Vegetable Products, and published 

 in the Fourth Progress Eeport. 



In India the true bamboo is used because it is abundant. In South 

 Australia a large South European reedf (Arundo Donax, Linn.), which 

 locally bears the name of " bamboo," is used instead. The reed is cut to 4 

 inches in length, by means of a small circular saw driven by hand or water- 

 power. Endeavours are made not to include joints in the pieces cut, but if 

 one should occur it is bored through. The pieces are packed together 

 upright, filled with soil, the seed put in and allowed to remain there till the 



* It has also been tried to a limited extent in Few South Wales, 

 f Sometimes known as the Danubian reed. 



