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tree; average thickness, f inch. The hark of the narrow-leaved variety is a thin, 
poor hark, not exceeding inch in thickness, moderately tissured, of a dark grey 
colour, sometimes nearly black. ( Proc. Roy. Sue. N.S. W., 1887, p. 32.) 
A second sample of the normal species gave ( Vroc. Roy. Soc. N.S.W r ., 1888, 
p. 271) 2 - 32 per cent, of tannic acid, and 12T2 per cent, of extract. It was from 
Tarella, Wilcannia; collected August, 1887 ; analysed August, 1888. It is a 
useless, flaky, dry-country bark. 
Timber. —Excessively hard, dark brown, used by the aborigines for 
boomerangs, sticks to lift edible roots, shafts of spears, nulla-nullas, and jagged 
spear-ends (Mueller). It is highly irritating in flesh wounds. It makes excellent 
fencing posts, and in parts of western New South Wales it is very plentiful, and 
much appreciated. It is often used for bullock-yokes. 
“ In the absence of other timber, Mulga is now one of the principal trees burnt for charcoal near 
Cobar.”—( Cambagp , in Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S. IF., 1901, p. 321). 
Exudation. —The Mulga yields a small quantity of soluble gum, similar in 
properties to that of good gum-arabic. It would be commercially valuable if it 
were procurable in quantity. 
Size. —Often a tall shrub or small tree, and rarely more than 25 feet in 
height. It is often with a stem diameter of 9 to 12 inches. 
Habitat.—Western Australia, through the other mainland States to Queens¬ 
land. It is a native of the drier western parts of New South Wales. Its precise 
eastern boundaries are not yet defined. 
Localities and collectors of some New South Wales specimens in the National 
Herbarium, Sydney, are :— 
Broken Hill (A. C. Loder); Paldrumatta Bore and Mount Browne (P. 
Corbett) ; Mount Hope (J. L. Boorman); near Cobar (J. V. d’Apice), both broad 
and narrow leaf; North Bourke (A. Murphy) ; Pera Bore (W. W. Eroggatt) ; 
Tarcoon (J. L. Boorman): Byrock (H. Deane); Coolabah (R. W. Peacock) ; Nyngan 
(E. E. Rogers). 
“Up to a height of 25 feet. Wood very hard, and used greatly by natives 
for weapons, etc. Capable of high polish.”—Ivanhoe, via Hay (K. H. Bennett). 
Propagation. —Readily by seed. It even grows in the coast districts with 
a little care. It is a pity that it is not more conserved and planted. 
