60 WATTLES AND WATTLE-BARKS. 



feet high, with diameters 6 to 15 inches, and was grown in granite country. 

 It yielded (April, 1890) 24'63 per cent, of tannic acid, with 45 '8 per cent, 

 of extract. This sample is hardly fair to the species. It is rather thin, 

 rugged, covered with lichens, and rather more fibrous than the generality of 

 barks of this variety. In spite of the badly selected sample, the analysis 

 shows that it is full of promise. 



Northern Barks. 



Bark from Booral, stripped in June, yielded 28'52 percent, of tannic acid, 

 and 56 '1 per cent, of extract. A second sample from the same place, gave 

 27'5 per cent, of tannic acid, and 57*1 per cent, of extract. 



A sample from Eaymond Terrace, collected in December, gave 33 '20 per 

 cent, of tannic acid, and 56*5 per cent, of extract, showing that good barks 

 can come from the north. 



Bark from G-osford, stripped in July, from four year old trees, gave 22 per 

 cent, of tannic acid, and 46'4 per cent, of extract. 



"We now turn to the other Colonies. Following are two barks from 

 Casterton, Victoria, stripped in January, and analysed in the following 

 March. A picked specimen, said to be the best obtainable, gave the excellent 

 result of 36*25 per cent, of tannic acid, and 61'G5 per cent, of extract, 

 practically the same as that of the Nerriga, New South Wales, bark, already 

 noted. 



A second specimen of the same district, sent as an average sample, gave 

 29 per cent, of tannic acid, and 54'45 per cent, of extract. 



The following analysis of a Queensland sample, was given by the Com- 

 missioners of that Colony at the Colonial and Indian Exhibition of 1886 : 

 Tannic, 15'OS per cent. ; extract, 2678 per cent. This bark becomes un- 

 doubtedly inferior in the warmer climate of Queensland. 



This variety is commercially the most important of the decurrens group, 

 partly on account of its extended geographical distribution, and partly 

 because of the great sizes the trees frequently attain. 



The Victorian tanners prefer the Portland* bark to all others. The best 

 New South Wales bark comes from the South Coast. 



*ilr. James Nolan, of Casterton, Victoria, writes : "This is about the centre of a very 

 good -wattle district, the bark fetching the highest price in the Melbourne market, where 

 it is known as Portland ground. Portland is the nearest market, and draws its principal 

 supplies from about here. Our bark beats Tasmanian by about 1 per ton. 



