24 



about $25 per ton in Australia. At the end of eight years 

 twenty acres will yield 240 tons of such bark (value $6,000) 

 plus 2000 cords of trunk wood, which wood barely brings one 

 dollar per cord in this country. Therefore $8,000 represent the 

 gross returns for the twenty acres as against about $2,050 of 

 cash outlay plus rent of land, interest, wear and tear &c. The 

 clearing of the land for replanting would cost from $40 to $50 

 per acre, so that $800 to $1,000 must be added to the above 

 estimate of cost ; leaving the net returns for the eight years 

 about $5,000. 



On the other hand we w r ould have in the case of canaigre, 

 estimating on the cost of the cultivation of sugar beets, and 

 allowing for the differences in the operations required, about 

 $8,000 for the eight years, plus again the rent of land, interest 

 and wear and tear. In return for this, at the rate of ten tons 

 of roots per acre, there would be obtained 1,600 tons of fresh 

 roots worth $8,000 upon the basis of the price of beets only 

 (viz $5, per ton/ According to the prices as above estimated 

 the outcome of the eight years culture would be very 

 nearly the same for black wattle and canaigre. But the returns 

 from the latter, unlike the former, would bear interest during 

 the eight years ; and the wide climatic range of the canaigre 

 renders it much more widely available. 



This presupposes that the tannin of both plants will in 

 commerce bring about the same prices. But it is well known 

 that the acacia tannin is uot available for the tanning of fine 

 leathers, for the reason that it tends to render them somewhat 

 brittle. But if, as we are now informed, the tannin of canaigre 

 (rheo-tannin) is well adapted to all purposes, including the 

 finest leathers, it will go far towards throwing the balance still 

 farther on the side of the root as against the trees, particularly 

 where the price of labour and capital is high. 



Ash composition and nitrogen contents of the canaiye root. 



In its draft upon the soil ingredients, the canaigre differs 

 from the beet and most other root crops in drawing much less 

 heavily on potash, but more heavily on magnesia, and on 

 phosphoric and sulphuric acids. The following table illustrates 

 thtse points. The ash analysis of the root grown at this station, 

 was made by Mr. P. W. Tomkins, a student in the agricultural 

 laboratory. That of the sugar beet, placed alongside, is an 

 average from European data: — 



