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Flowers. —It. is a very handsome species, with its large deep-yellow flowers, 
abundantly produced, and full of perfume. The stout pedicels and petioles appear 
to he characteristic of the species. 
An extract of the flowers of this Wattle was shown as a perfume at the 
Colonial and Indian Exhibition of 1886. 
A score of other species of Acacia, e.g., A. suaveolens, might he selected as 
worthy of experiment as perfume plants. ‘‘Mutton fat being cheap, and the Wattle 
plentiful, a profitable trade may he anticipated in curing the flowers, Ac.” (Piesse, 
A rt of Perfumery .) 
On the other hand we have :— 
All my experiments have proved that the perfume of Wattle-blossoms is very evanescent, and is 
stronger about mid-day than at any other time. 
(Evidence of Mr. Bosisto before Victorian Boyal Commission on Vegetable 
Products.) 
Bark. —One of the richest tanning barks in the world ; a richer may exist, 
but I do not know of it. A sample of this bark was received by me in 18S3 from 
Messrs. E. Pflaum & Co., of Blumberg, South Australia, with the note, “ contains 
335 per cent, of tannin, according to Mr. Thomas, of Adelaide.” I analysed the 
sample in April, 1890, and obtained the following extraordinary result by 
LowenthaTs improved process—the process I always adopted, viz. :— 
Tannic acid ... ... ... ... 46'47 per cent.* 
Extract ... ... ... ... ... 74*7 „ 
This had been stored seven years in the Museum, and had doubtless increased 
in percentage of tannic acid during that period. Nevertheless it Avas the grandest 
specimen of wattle-bark I ever examined. It Aras smooth, a model of compactness, 
contained a minimum of fibre, and therefore powdered sjdendidly, Avas of good 
colour, and an excellent bark in every Avay. South Australia had practically the 
monopoly of this hark, and it is a grand heritage,—the envy of the Eastern States. 
* The record of the highest percentage of tannic acid found in any Australian bark seems to me to be of very 
considerable interest. It is to be regretted that analyses of tanning materials are not always strictly comparable unless 
conducted under precisely similar conditions. 
“ Mr. J. M. Reid, President of the South Australian Chamber of Manufactures, while in Sydney a few days ago, 
submitted samples of wattle-bark from that State to Mr. Helms, of the New South AVales Department of Agriculture, for 
analysis. 
“ The first result worked out as follows :—Moisture, 11 *20 per cent. ; tannin, 49 76 per cent., expressed in terms of 
crystallised oxalic acid by Procter’s method, 56 - 03 per cent, in the dry bark. 
“ This being an exceptionally high result, he took further and different methods of testing the sample, but on each 
occasion similar figures were obtained. Mr. Helms expressed his great surprise at the standard attained, and spoke most 
highly of the South Australian product. Those interested in the wattle industry in that State have heard many disquieting 
reports about the AVest Australian mallet bark, and of its high tanning properties. An analysis of such bark made at the 
South Australian School of Mines, on a sample submitted, gave the following result:—Tannin, 257 per cent., expressed 
in terms of crystallised oxalic acid, so that there is very little to fear in competition with this article. Above all things 
(says the Adelaide Advertiser ) local growers must carefully harvest their bark, and see that the trees which are being 
stripped are properly matured. The test of Mr. Helms beats the one made some years ago by Mr. J. H. Maiden (then 
Curator of the Technological Museum, Sydney), who has made Australian wattle a particular study, and who got as a 
result 46 - 47 per cent, of tannic acid from a sample submitted from Smith Australia .”—(Daily Telegraph, Sydney, 22nd 
August, 1905.) 
