2 Select Plants for Industrial Culture and 



hard, dark-brown, used preferentially by the natives for boome- 

 rangs, sticks to lift edible roots, end-shafts of Phragmites-spears, 

 woomerangs, nulla-nullas and jagged spear-ends. Mr. J. H. Maiden 

 determined the percentage of mimosa-tannic acid in the perfectly 

 dry bark as 8'62. 



Acacia Arabica, Willdenow. 



The " Kikar " or " Babool." Northern and Central Africa, also 

 in South- Western Asia, growing in dry, calcareous soil. The 

 Egyptian Acacia of Dioscorides, Plinius and Virgilius. This small 

 tree can be utilized for thorny hedges. It furnishes one of the best 

 kinds of gum arabic for medicinal and technical purposes. Pasture- 

 animals devour the leaves. The lac-insect lives also on the foliage, 

 and thus in Sind the lac is mainly yielded by this tree. The stem 

 attains exceptionally a circumference of 10 feet. The astringent 

 pods are highly valuable for tanning, also the bark, which is known 

 as "Babool" bark, and produces leather of peculiar paleness; the 

 wood is very durable if water-seasoned, extensively used for wheels, 

 well-curbs and many kinds of implements, also for the knees and 

 planks of boats. This species is of comparatively quick growth ; 

 A. vera and A. Nilotica are varieties of it. The import of gum 

 arabic into Britain during 1886 was 75,591 cwt., valued at 295,464. 

 A. Ehrenbergiana (Hayne) is among the species, which yield gum 

 arabic in North-Africa. A. latronum (Willdenow) and A. modesta 

 (Wallich) form thorny hedges in India according to Sir J). Brandis. 



Acacia armata, E. Brown. 



Extra-tropical Australia. The Kangaroo-Thorn. Much grown 

 for hedges, though less manageable than various other hedge- 

 plants, and not so fire-proof. More important for covering coast- 

 sand with an unapproachable prickly vegetation. 



Acacia binervata, De Candolle. 



Extra-tropical East-Australia. A tree attaining a height of 40 

 feet. The bark used by tanners, but not quite so valuable as that 

 of A. decurrens [W. Dovegrove], although Mr. J. H. Maiden deter- 

 mined the percentage of mimosa-tannic acid in perfectly dried bark 

 as 30.4. The wood is light-colored, close-grained and easily 

 worked. 



Acacia Catechu, Willdenow. 



India to East- Africa, up to 5,000 feet. A tree, attaining 40 feet in 

 height. Will bear some frost [Brandis]. Wood hard, heavy, ex- 

 tremely durable, locally chosen for underground -posts particularly 

 and mill-work. The extract, prepared from the bark and heart- 

 wood, is one of the catechus of medicine or cutch of tannery. 

 Pure cutch is worth about 25 per ton ; 4 tons of bark will pro- 

 duce 1 ton of cutch. A. Suma (Kurz) is closely allied. The two 



