25 



tanning purposes (22 per cent., Maiden), but which in some 

 situations is the more vigorous grower. At Knysna the 

 two species grow with equal vigour. On the Mlgiris, in 

 South India, A. dealbata when introduced ran wild with 

 great rapidity, and has had to be eradicated from gardens, 

 &c., at considerable expense. 



While A. Pycna,n+ha is practically confined to South 

 Australia, A. decurrens is widely spread throughout all the 

 cool regions of Australia and Tasmania. The great bulk 

 of the " mimosa " bark that has been so largely exported; 

 from these countries is from this species. *It is found as fur 

 north as South Queensland, but there the bark is inferior. 

 The best bark comes from Tasmania, yielding a tanner 

 three or four liquors when a more northern bark may yield* 

 only one. It is a common belief amongst tanners that the 

 richest bark of all comes from trees that have grown 

 amongst the frost and snow of high mountains. 



At Knysnu where A. decurrens and A. pycnantha have 

 been planted together, the former is a hardier grower than 

 the latter, and stands wind better. Indeed, A. decurrms 

 contents itself with the poorest soil, and runs up rapidly to 

 a tall straight tree like a Gum, except for its delicate 

 feathery foliage. A disadvantage of A. decurrens is its 

 liability like other Wattles (usually, however, only in scrub 

 forests) to run into small stems. On the other hand in 

 favourable localities it grows to the dimensions of a timber 

 tree, reaching 2 and even 3 ft. in diameter. 



The maximum growth at Knysna has been 24 ft. in 

 height and 4 inches in diameter in 3 years, the average of 

 the plot being about f of this. Various gums on the same 

 soil and planted at the same time average only |- the 

 growth. At Johannesburg it runs up at first faster than, 

 the Blue-gum and in two or three years becomes a good- 

 sized tree. In the Government plantation at Ceres Eoad, it- 

 grows faster than any other tree that has been planted and 

 yields the quickest and best return. In the Cape Peninsula 

 the growth is generally poor. At Fort Cunynghame and 

 in the cooler moister parts of the Eastern Districts gener- 

 ally it shows an excellent growth. The Black- wattle 

 furnishes a useful firewood and small timber of medium 

 density. Sleepers of this wood are to be tried in Natal,, 



