SKPTKMRKB, 1908.] 



221 



Dyes and Tans. 



acre of 150 trees 8 years old and fairly 

 grown ought to produce five tons. Now, 

 taking the average price of bark in 

 Melbourne at £6 per ton, an acre would 

 yield £30 in 8 years. Allowing only two 

 tons to the acre the return of £12 would 

 be satisfactory, as the land in its natural 

 state as a grazing area would only be 

 worth about 2s. per acre per annum. It 

 cannot be denied that £30 per acre at 

 the end of 8 years, even though it be 

 reduced by half to cover cost of all works 

 connected with the plantation, is better 

 than 16s. per acre as a grazing area. 



There are many blocks of suitable 

 land lying idle in Victoria to-day that 

 could be made to return a good income 

 from this source, with absolutely no 

 more cost than sowing the seed and 

 harvesting the bark. South Africa is 

 planting large areas of wattle. Why is 

 it neglected in the country of its origin? 

 — Journal of the Department of Agricul- 

 ture of Victoria, July 8th, 1907, Vol. V., 

 Part 7, pp. 432-4, 



