AUSTRALIAN BLACKWOOD 



Grain. Straight, coarse, but close and compact. Surface 

 bright. 



Bark. "Rough "(5). 



Uses, etc. Turnery and fancy-ware. " Elastic — a good cabi- 

 net wood " (5). 



Authority. F. M. Bailey (5). 



Colour. Heart-wood, purplish-brown : contour somewhat 

 irregular : not sharply denned from the white sap-wood, which 

 is about 1 to i| inches wide 



Anatomical Characters. As those of Acacia pendula No. 68, 

 but with the following differences : — 



Pores. Often (apparently) connected in short, oblique lines : 

 size 3 : 10 to 30 per sq. mm. Rays, size 5 to 6 : 6 to 9 per mm. 



Radial Section. Rays very bright and distinct, though small. 

 Few (if any) gum stains or globules. Pores, inconspicuous 

 grooves on a freshly-cut section, but rapidly becoming prominent 

 on exposure to the air as the soft-tissue turns colour. 



Type specimens from commercial sources and also authenticated 

 by F. M. Bailey. 



No. 71. AUSTRALIAN BLACKWOOD. Acacia 



melanoxylon. R. Br. 



Plate V. Fig. 44. 



Natural Order. Leguminosas. 



Sources of Supply. South Australia. Introduced into S. 

 Africa, the United States of America, India, and the Cape of 

 Good Hope. 



Alternative Names. Black Wattle of the Nilgiris (37). Light- 

 wood (85), in New South Wales. 



Physical Characters, etc. These appear to differ very much 

 in the various regions where they have been introduced. Re- 

 corded dry weights, 36 to 42 lbs. per cu. ft. (37) ; 41 to 48 lbs. 

 (83). My specimens are partly sap-wood. Hardness of South 

 Australian specimen Grade 7, compare English Birch ; of North 

 American specimen, Grade 3, compare Blackthorn ; of South 

 African specimen, Grade 6, compare English Beech. Smell or 

 taste none. Burns well and quietly without aroma ; no juice 

 expelled by heat : embers glow in still air. Solution olive turn- 

 ing brandy colour upon the addition of potash : no ppt. : after 

 extraction with water the chips do not yield'any further colour 

 with alcohol. 



Grain. Straight, fine, and even. Surface rather lustrous, 

 does not exude drops of resin. 



Uses, etc. Works easily : the most promising of all the 

 Australian Acacias on this account. " Very durable, finely 



81 G 



