143 



Mallet strippers and others, whom I have consulted over large areas, pooh-pooh the 

 idea of the two trees being identical. (Journ. W.A.Nat. Hist. Soc, vol. hi, Jan., 1911.) 



I wrote the following account, which was published in the Kew Bulletin, Article x, 

 p. 114 (1911):— 



The Mallet Bark of Western Australia.- — Eucalyptus occidentalis End!., 



var. astringens Maiden. 



This has been a well-known article of commerce for the last six years at least, 

 and as there has been some doubt as to its botanical origin, I spent a good deal of time 

 during my botanical journey in Western Australia (September-December.. 1909) in 

 endeavouring to clear up the matter. 



The ordinary " Flat-topped Yate" is, in my view, typical Eucalyptus occidentalis 

 Endl. It is a tree with black, hard bark, for the lower half of the trunk, while the upper 

 half of the bark is black and feathery, the loose bark quivering in the wind strongly 

 reminding one of the feathers of a French fowl. The branches are more or less smooth 

 or ribbony. The bark of this form has no commercial value. 



The Mallet is a smooth barked Eucalypt — a Gum in Australian parlance. It 

 also is more or less flat-topped, but quite distinct in appearance to the ordinary Flat- 

 topped Yate. No bushman that I consulted would ever allow that the trees are the 

 same. 



I have described the Mallet as a variety (astringens) in the Journ. Nat. Hist. 

 and Science Society of W.A., 1910. 



The ordinary Yate is E. cornuta Labill. " The tops of a very high species of 

 Eucalyptus which they (the natives) call Mallert." (J as. Drummond) in Hooker's 

 Lond. Journal Bot. This is the first instance I can find of the use of the name, which 

 is always now called " Mallet," although one hears of other spelhngs, e.g., " Mallat." 



Following are some bibliographical references to Mallet bark : — 



1. " Source of the new bark industry, Eucalyptus occidentalis , the Flat-topped 

 Yate " ; by Dr. A. Morrison, Journ. Agric, W.A., September, 1904, p. 177. 



(This is Mallet bark which is a flat-topped tree. "Flat-topped Yate" is 

 E. occidentalis normalis, J.H.M.) 



2. " MaUet Bark," by E. M. Holmes, Phar. Journ., 4th February, 1905, p. 141. 



3. " Mallet Bark," by T. R. Sim — Natcd Agric. Journ. and Mining Record, 

 March 24th, 1905. Vol. VIII., No. 3, p. 209. 



4. " An investigation of the barks of four West Australian species of Eucalyptus," 

 by Henry G. Smith, Journ. Agric, WA., 20th April, 1905, p. 219. 



5. " Mallet Eucalypt bark, better than Black Wattle," by D. E. Hutchins, 

 Agric. Journ. Cape of Good Hope, June, 1905, p. 784. 



