34 
WATTLES AND WATTLE-BARKS. 
In insisting' on the general principle of assay of harks, just as a man 
engaged in the mining industry is always careful to sample his stone as 
occasions require, I am quite aware of the special circumstances of lasmania 
as regards the “ Silver 'Wattle,” and that the case in that Colony against this 
particular species is stronger than it is in our own. In Tasmania the silver 
wattle grows more in spars than with us; its hark lias a more than ordinary 
tendency to shrink ; it is tough and fibrous (though not to such an extent 
as A. binervata<, for instance). As wattles take longer to mature in Tasmania 
than with us, it will be quite understood that 1 am in no way reflecting on 
the wisdom of the advice of letting the cultivation of the best species remain 
unimpeded* 
This species is found in Victoria, New South A\ r ales, and Queensland. It 
is chiefly a mountain species, and does not extend far inland. 
The Similarities and Dissimilarities of Acacia 
decurrens, mollissima, and dealbata. 
A. decurrens, A. mollissima , and A. dealbata are very closely allied botani- 
cally, and have, in fact, been considered by various botanists as varieties of 
the same species ; for the most ardent advocate of splitting up species cannot 
produce any very marked differences between them. 
I have summarized below the differences between the three which are 
held to be specific, from a botanist s point of view; and from the point of 
view of the technologist all that I can sav is that the very bad name of 
A. dealbata with some people is not borne out by my experiments, all the 
samples used in which are true to name, the utmost precaution being adopted 
to ensure accuracy. Trora my experiments it would appear that the per¬ 
centage of tannic acid in A. dealbata is nearly two-thirds of that contained 
in decurrens and A. mollissima , which two species have very close 
affinities. They are at once distinguished in the field from A. dealbata by 
the ashy or silvery hue of the latter ; but the differences between the three 
are not very marked in dried specimens, and that is the reason, I presume, 
whv they have not hitherto been comparatively figured. 1 have spent much 
time endeavouring to note differences which might be brought out in a 
figure, but know of none other than the degree of constriction between the 
seeds. Careful examination of the subjoined comparative table will show 
that there are no sharp lines of demarcation between the three species, and 
that those botanists who look upon A. mollissima and A. dealbata as varieties' 
of A. decurrens take up a position which is apparently as strong as those 
who divide them into separate species. Reference to the tables will show 
that A. decurrens and A. mollissima arc very closely allied as regards yield of 
tannic acid, and, from the point of view of the tanner, I do not think there 
is a pin to choose between them. The average percentage of tannic acid in 
A. dealbata is, hovever, consistently lower than in the other two species or 
