229 



Tiereafter. We may safely take it for granted that the invariable 

 presence of considerable quantities of the substance in the fruit 

 has some intimate connection with the healthy growth of the 

 vine. 



FOREST CONSERVATION". 



In the matter of forest conservation we are well off in this 

 •colony, and our energetic Conservator of Forests has achieved 

 ^reat success in this direction. You will have noticed that he is 

 proposing to supply a large quantity of charcoal for use at Broken 

 Hill. This means a large waste of by-products if it is to be 

 made by the old method of burning. Mr. Brown informs me, 

 however, that he is thinking of introducing the system of car- 

 bonizing in retorts, and so preserving the liquid products, which 

 are of considerable value, containing as they do creosote, pyro- 

 ligneous acid, and wood spirit. For all of these there is some 

 demand. There is great need of a supply of the latter article of 

 good quality for methylating purjDoses, the material imported for 

 that purpose being wretched stuff, containing a considerable 

 (fuantity of hydrocarbons, which are immediately precipitated on 

 dilution with water. The Conservator also contemplates the 

 production of turpentine from the pine forests, Avhich are growing 

 successfully in some of the northern parts of the interior. I am 

 sure you will welcome these advances in utilization of our own 

 products. 



PRODUCTION OF TANNIN. 



Another subject connected with one of the products of the 

 colony is the production of tannin from the bark of the various 

 species of acacia. This scarcely seems to be attracting the atten- 

 tion it deserves. A great deal remains to be done in the direction 

 of ascertaining the best varieties of wattles which will flourish 

 under different conditions, and above all of ascertaining at what 

 stage of growth it is most advantageous to strip the tree, or cut 

 it up into fragments, as is now done at Messrs. Barrow & Hay- 

 craft's establishment at Echunga. There has, however, been need- 

 less waste in the ruthless destruction of young trees which would 

 have yielded much more tannin had they been allowed to grow 

 for a year or two longer. If the demand increases, as it is cer- 

 tain to do (unless indeed some cheap substitute for tannin be 

 found), there will probably be a difficulty in supplying the de- 

 mand. Putting in a few wattle seeds now and again on spare 

 land does not involve a large amount of time or labour, and many 

 a landholder might add to his income in the future by a judicious 

 and systematic planting of this useful tree. Some very valuable 

 investigations on Australian tannin-yielding trees, and the per- 

 centage of tannin they contain, have been recently published by 

 Mr. G. H. Maiden, Curator of the Technological Museum in 



