14 WATTLES AND WATTLE-BARKS. 



" To sou broadcast or in drills. If the seeds liavo been assisted in their 

 germination by means of hot ashes, rake or sift out the larger coals and sow 

 the ashes with the seeds. If the germination has been commenced by the 

 hot water process, mix the seed thoroughly with dry ashes or sand this 

 will prevent the seeds from sticking together then sow broadcast or in 

 drills in the usual way. If the seeds are to be dibbled they must be freed 

 from the ashes. "Whichever method be adopted for sowing, the seed should 

 be well covered, and in the case of those that have been soaked in water this 

 is essential, for a few hot and dry days would effectually check all further 

 growth. Three or four seeds at about three feet'* apart is the distance 

 required ; this will allow for thinning. 



" Do not cover the seeds too deeply ; about an inch underground will be 

 ample. 



"Sow sparingly; this will save a lot of thinning afterwards." 



The Tree and its Bark. 



(a.) PRUNING AND THINNING. 



AVattle-trees are sometimes recommended to be pruned. " The advantages 

 of this are larger dimensions of individual trees, and hence more bark in 

 proportion ; cleaner stems, easier stripping at less expense, less liability to 

 disease, and quicker returns, because the tree will arrive at the stripping 

 stage sooner by having its vitality confined chiefly to the stem. The best 

 period for pruning is during the months from January to March." (J. E. 

 Brown). Mr. A. L. Thrupp, however, deprecates pruning in warm northern 

 exposures, as too much sun would be admitted to the stem of the tree. 



If wattles be not planted too far apart, nature does her own pruning of 

 the lower branches. In a plantation of Acacia decurrens, for instance, the trees 

 obstruct the light from each other, inanition of the lateral branches takes 

 place, which wither and fall off, and thus a long clean stern is produced, from 

 which the bark can be readily stripped. 



Mr. F. Abbott recommends that wattle seedlings be thinned out, as soon 

 as they are big enough to handle, to 10 feet apart.f This is perhaps a fair 

 distance, but authorities do not agree as to the precise distance. It rather 



* Acacia pycnantha is here alluded to. They will thin out to 4 or 6 ft. apart. Of, 

 p. 22. 



t This advice refers to rather large trees, such as decurrens, and net to small wattles, 

 such as pycnantha. Cf. page 55. 



