WATTLE CULTURE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 4, Issue 1234, 20 November 1882, Page 2

WATTLE CULTURE.

The Molbunrne Argna has received the following from a correspondent:—" Inquiries of the most important uature are being set on foot with -rouard to ths growth of the mimosa or wattle bark for tanning purposes, with a view of obtaining the bark from the tree without causing iU destruction. It appears there is a demand springing up fort its seed in Ceylon for tho dual purpose of cultivation and as a shelter for other Burubs and trees. Oounooted therewith it has recently been discovered with regard to the cultivation of tho cinchona, or the Peruvian hark tree of commerce, that its bark may |bfl exoiiod or taken off without destroying the tree. It had previously been dis. covered tljatjts aoiiyp principle is confined to the outer bark, and the inner bark, so [ far as the bitter principle for the production, of cminino is concerned, is perfectly useless, It therefore conies about that, in place of the trees being peeled as formerly, 1 they ar# anuually shaved with a spokeshave, and the bark is removed without causing' an; damage to the tree! Now,.if themimosa iu Australia oould be treated in.airimilar manner, a great deal of the anxiety of the tanners with regard to the gradual destruction of it.would be removed, and if. the banning prinoiple exists iu its outer cuticle, as in the cinchona, and can be treated similarly, & great etridewill have been inade towards solving the dilemma wherewith the trade is encompassed.'