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EASTERN NEW SOUTH WALES WATTLES. 



1. Acacia pycnantha (Broad-leaved or Tanning Wattle). 



2. Acacia penninervis (Mouotain Hickory). 



3. Acacia melanoxylon (Blackwood). 



4- Acacia, hinervata (Two-veined Hickory). 



5. Acacia decurrens (Black, Green, and Silver Wattle). 



6. Acacia BaiUyana (Cootamundra Wattle). 



Acacia pycnantha, Bentli. 

 The Broad-leaved Wattle. 



Botanical Name. — Pycnantha, fromi two Greek words, yyhnos, dense, and 

 cntlios, a flower; hence dense-flowered. 



Vernacular Names.— The "Broad-leaved Wattle" of South Australia ;_ 

 called also " Golden, Black, or Green Wattle." The term " Broad-leaved " 

 is as good as any, the names "Golden," "Black," and "Green" heing 

 applied to quite a numher of other Wattles. 



I have heard it occasionally called "Plum-coloured Wattle," owing to- 

 the dark cast of the foliage at certain seasons. 



Flowers. — It is a very handsome species, with its large deep-yellow 

 flowers, abundantly produced, and full of perfume. The stout pedicels and 

 petioles appear to be characteristic of the species. 



An extract of the flowers of this Wattle was shown as a perfume at the 

 Colonial and Indian Exhibition of 1886. 



A score of other species of Acacia, e.g., A. suaveolens, might be selected 

 as worthy of experiment as perfume plants. '' Mutton fat being cheap, and 

 the Wattle plentiful, a profitable trade may be anticipated in curing the- 

 flowers, &c." (Piesse, Art of Perfumery.) 



On the other hand we have : — 



All my experiments have proved that the perfume of Wattle-blossoms is 

 very evanescent, and is stronger about mid-day than at any other time. 

 (Evidence of Mr. Bosisto before Victorian Royal Commission on vegetable- 

 products.) 



Barh. — One of the richest tanning barks in the world; a richer may 

 exist, but I da not know of it. A sample of this bark was received by me 

 in 1883 from Messrs. F. Pflaum & Co., of Blumberg, South Australia, withi 

 the note, " contains 33-5 per cent, of tannin, according to Mr. Thomas,, of 

 Adelaide." I analf^sed the sample in April, 1890, and obtaine4 the following 

 extraordinary result bv Lowenthal's improved process — the process I alwaya 

 adopted, viz. : — 



Tannic acid 46-47 per cent. 



Extract T4-7 per cent. 



This had been stored seven years in the Museum, and had doubtless- 

 increased in percentage of tannic acid during that period. Keverthelessi 

 it was the -grandest specimen of wattle-bark I ever examined. It was 



