40 
I cannot leave this subject without alluding to the plant intro- 
duced from America some few years ago, and which was reputed 
to beso valuable for tanning purposes. I refer to the “ Canaigre” 
(Rumex hymenosepalum) one of the dock or sorrel family, a 
plant said to yield 20 to 40 per cent. of tannic acid. I have grown 
this at Mornington, but not with pronounced success, the soil 
being probably too poor and the situation too cold. Further north 
considerable success has resulted in the cultivation of this plant, 
and it will likely become a considerable source of wealth. 
Tue Cork OaK (Quercus suber) 
is a tree which thrives well in many parts of the colony. In the 
Fitzroy Gardens, Botanic Gardens, Macedon State Nursery, and 
in many private gardens throughout Victoria, are to be found 
isolated specimens of this useful tree. On account of the length 
of time one has to wait before any return comes in, it is not a tree 
we could recommend to our selectors and farmers to plant, but 
surely we have among us a number of landed and wealthy pro- 
prietors to whom immediate revenue would not be so necessary, 
and who would, by planting a few hundred acres of the tree in 
question, be not only exhibiting a kind of patriotism—a love for 
his country—but would at the same time insure, if not to himself, 
to his heirs, a valuable property. Mr. Hayter informs us that in 
1890 and 1891 we imported cork in its natural and also cut 
state to the value of £46,000. The demand for cork is fast in- 
creasing, being now used for purposes which twenty years ago 
would never have been dreamt of. Those new substitutes for oil- 
cloth called kamptulicon and linoleum are manufactured from 
cork and caoutchouc. We also find that cork dust makes excel- 
lent packing for fruit for exportation. Thousands of tons are 
used in various parts of the world of the rough cork bark for 
making artificial rock-work. With what excellent effect has it 
been used in the Aquarium at the Exhibition Building. The 
cork tree is a native of the south of Europe and the northern part 
of Africa. I have also seen it growing abundantly, apparently 
wild, in Tuscany, and there it seemed to be doing well on rocky 
sidelands where there was very little depth of soil ; it thrives best 
in a granite or schistose soil. It may be multiplied by seeds or by 
grafting on to the common evergreen or Holly Oak (Quercus Ilex), 
which seeds most abundantly. Probably trees so raised would 
not be so good as those raised from seed sown in the place where 
they are to remain. I have imported these acorns from England, 
but although freshly gathered at the time of shipment, none of 
them grew. If packed in moss or sand and despatched by one of 
the fastest boats they should carry all right. 
I have already alluded to the length of time before the tree is 
fit to strip for its bark ; this somewhat depends on the climate ; 
