WATTLES AND WATTLE-BARKS . 
33 . 
October, 1S88, at Monga, from trees 20 to 25 feet high, and G to 18 inches 
in diameter, growing on granite soil. Thickness of bark, about i^-inch. A 
smoothish bark of a light colour, but forming a rather fibrous powder. It 
was analysed April, 1800, and found to contain 26*4 per cent, of tannic acid, 
and 45'25 per cent, of extract. 
This variety appears to be confined to New South Wales. It is found in* 
the Monaro and Braidwood Districts, also in the Jingera Mountains, 
\ 
41. Acacia dealbata , Link., B.Fl., iii., 415. “ Silver Wattle.” 
Some specimens from Quiedoug, Bombala, N.S.AV., yielded the author 
39*8G per cent, of extract and 2T22 per cent, of tannic acid. They were 
from trees 12 to IS inches in diameter, and 20 to 30 feet high, and were grown 
on limestone country (Proc., R. S., N.S.W ., 1S87, p. 02). A^second sample 
from the same district gave 39*3 per cent, of extract and 17*1 per cent, of 
tannic acid. These samples bear a general appearance to A. dccurrens bark, 
but they arc much more rugged, and apparently from an old tree. The 
barks form a rather fibrous powder. The whitish external layer common in 
this species is almost absent. 
1 have examined a sample from the Delegate River, N.S.W., where the 
trees are growing in the brush (rich jungle), in chocolate soil, attaining a 
height of 00 to 100 feet, with a diameter of 1 to 2 feet. Bark collected in April, 
1SS9, yielded the following April:—25*9 per cent, of tannic acid and 45*7 per 
cent, of extract. This has the general appearance of A. dccurrens bark, but 
is in layers, separable with a little difficulty, more fibrous, and has the 
appearance of having been dusted on the outside with a white powder. 
This whitish appearance docs not rub off, and the stem looks as if it bad 
had a coat of lime wash. 
There is great prejudice against this wattle in most of the colonics, yet 1 
analyses show that it is not to be despised. A perfectly smooth, thin, silvery 
or ash-grey bark, from near Penrith, N.S.W., gave me 24*13 per cent, of* 
tannic acid, and 47*S5 per cent, of extract. , 
“ Silver Wattle” bark may be assumed to contain about 25 per cent, of 
tannic acid in the best samples. ' i 
In Tasmania it has often been recommended the destruction of these trees, 
in order to let A . mollmma grow, and this advice is probably sound, but. 
only in casos in which one or other has to be sacrificed. 
“Tlio bark of this treo is thinner and inferior to the Black Wattle (A. 
mollissima) in quality. It is chieily employed for lighter leather. This tree 
is distinguished from the Black Wattle by the silvery, or, rather, asliy hue ot, 
its youim foliage. It lloivers early in spring, ripening its seed m about five, 
months, while the Black Wattle blossoms late in spring, or at the beginning 
of summer, and its seeds do not mature before about fourteen months.”.' 
(Mueller.) ♦ 
I think I have adduced sufficient evidence to convince intelligent pec>plc v 
that the bark is by no means a worthless one, and barks inferior even to this- 
are locally used in districts not favoured with the alternative of the usd o& 
such barks as mollissima and dccurrens. I hope that barks will be tried on' 
their merits, and not be condemned without trial. ; s ( 
c 
