56 WATTLES AND WATTLE-BARKS. 



supplement each other, the former flourishing in situations too damp and cold 

 for the latter. Varieties of A. decurrens are at present abundant on some 

 Crown and other lands in various districts of the Colony, were thousands, 

 and perhaps millions, of seedlings may be sometimes seen, forming a dense, 

 useless brush, liable to destruction by bush fires. In these localities we do 

 not require to sow seed, but to use the tomahawk. They should be thinned 

 out freely, to admit light and air to the most promising seedlings, which will 

 then have some chance of forming trees capable of carrying a merchantable 

 amount of bark. 



In many places selectors wage war against this tree, simply looking upon 

 it as a troublesome weed. They should try the thinning process, leaving the 

 most shapely trees. They will find that wattle scrub (of the right kinds), 

 will become of value, instead of a nuisance. 



Mr. J. E. Brown states that in South Australia this species is much less 

 hardy than A.pycnantJia,\)ut in other colonies this is not the general experience. 

 Baron Mueller recommends planting of A. decurrens in worn-out lands over- 

 run with sorrel. It is fond of moisture, and not of too much heat. The 

 Baron also gives its rate of growth as about 1 inch in diameter every year. 

 Mr. J. E. Brown mentions some trees in South Australia 30 feet high and 

 8 inches in diameter, only five years of age, and I can record similar 

 experience near Sydney. It is rather liable to attacks by borers, but this 

 subject will be dealt with in a supplement to this work. 



It is a useful tree for making a quick-growing shelter for vineyards, 

 orchards, &c. 



We now proceed to discuss the varieties in detail ; the botany of the 

 subject being dealt with in Appendix ii. 



44 (a.) Acacia decurrens (normal variety). 



"SYDNEY BLACK WATTLE." 



[Memorandum : In the Sydney district people are not always unanimous 

 in the use of the terms, " Black and Green Wattle, " as applied to the 

 normal and mollis varieties of Acacia decurrens]. 



Acacia decurrens, var. normalis. B.* 

 SY^OXYMS AND LOCAL NAMES. 



A. decurrens (1.) The " Black Wattle " of the Sydney district. " Sydney 

 Wattle" (1.) Formerly known as " Book-kerriking " by the aboriginals of 

 the counties of Cumberland and Camdeii (Macarthur). 



* For the key to these abbreviations see page 68. 



