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few years, have a very valuable product in the form of bark. I have given much attention to that, and have raised great numbers of acacias ; and I think you should do this at once. These acacias would do well at Wanganui —indeed in all warm parts of New Zealand—and would soon give a valuable product in the form of bark. 93. Mr. Ballance.] What kind of soil is best for them?—-They will grow anywhere, in any soil. They have two special species in Melbourne. In South Australia they have what they call the golden wattle. The seeds of these should be procured in quantities, and distributed at once. The seeds require, before planting, to be steeped in nearly boiling water. 94. Is that a good kind ?—That is the best of any kind. These tanning materials are very valuable products indeed. Of course, if we had them here, we could prepare our own hides in the country, and export them manufactured. I should say the proper time for planting the olive is September, and Mr. Rolleston has telegraphed to get the truncheons this year from Australia; and this is the time to get the seeds of acacias. 95. How long would it be before they would yield bark ? —Five or six years. The acacia spreads itself. You would be simply putting in the country an industry that would then be in existence, and might at any moment be developed. 96. Would they grow on hills ? —Yes ; best on hills. 97 In taking the bark, do you destroy the tree ?—Yes, you destroy the tree. You can strip them as they stand, or cut them. But destroying them does not matter, because there are self-sown young trees around to succeed them. Directly I get home I will send down a work giving all information on this subject. 98. How long would they take to mature ?■ —-Certainly five or six years. My idea is to prepare what I call prospective industries. You might have these trees growing perhaps thirty years, and be of very little use; but the time will come when people will feel the want of the materials, and then instead of having useless shrubs you will have something growing which will give wealth to the country The acacias grow from seeds best. I have all these acacias growing in abundance, and could give a certain quantity of seed myself. But it is just as well to be in communication with the fountain from which the supply comes. 99. Does the frost hurt them ?—Not unless too severe. What they require is hot sun in summer. 100. Would they grow as far South as Otago ? —They will grow wherever the gum tree grows. They would grow quite well in parts of Otago. The seed grows readily if steeped in boiling water. I got some seeds of the golden wattle from Australia ten or twelve years ago, and I see the plants are only now coming up. The seed had not been put in boiling water first; but I saw them coming up last year from the seed which I put in ten years before. They have not been planted or grafted at all, but the seed was just thrown about. Generally I soak the seed in nearly boiling water, it then springs at once. 101. Captain Colbeck.} Do you know anything about Myrabaluin and Divi-divi ?■ —-No. I know nothing about them. I should doubt whether they do not come from a hotter climate than this. 102. The Chairman.} Any other subject, Sir George ? —I will name a few things which I think will succeed well in New Zealand. In the first place there is Paraguay-tea {Ilex -paraguensis). Some millions of people use it in preference to ordinary tea. I think we should have that; it succeeds admirably in the North. I think you should also encourage the planting of the camphor-tree largely That is valuable as timber, and the product is valuable in many ways as medicine. It succeeds very well in New Zealand, and would give a considerable export. a Then I would name the carob-tree {Ceratonia siliqua) That succeeds remarkably here. From Crete alone 180,000 tons of that fruit is annually exported now It makes the best food for cattle. Sheep and pigs eat it greedily, and the meat is improved by their being fed on it. It makes a kind of chocolate which is very good. There is no difficulty whatever in the growth of it. It grows with me better than I have seen it grow in any other country It grows to a greater height here, and altogether shows itself a finer tree. The highest I have ever seen is one I have. I should say that is, perhaps —I am afraid of exaggerating, but I should think it is nearly 40 feet, and it is about ten years old. It grows from seed, and you could get seeds from England. The fruit is sold in England. It grows like the tamarind, with long luscious sweet pods. If Crete exports that number of tons annually, there is no telling what New Zealand could export. 103. What is the price of the fruit ? —I forget. I know it is a very profitable product; and if from one island alone 180,000 tons are exported, and there is no limit to the demand, it must be a valuable product. It only grows in certain climates. I think the planting of almonds should be encouraged. I have not seen many in New Zealand. They grow very fast, and grow anywhere. Mr. Ballance: I have seen but very few almond-trees. 104. The Chairman.] They would probably produce fruit in the centre of Otago ? —I think every farmer should have a number of almond-trees about his house. Ido not think the walnut is sufficiently encouraged. Then, planting of the cork-tree is not encouraged at all. Ido not think it succeeds better in any part of the world than in New Zealand. It takes about twenty-four years before the first strippings can be taken ; but in all these things I think you should look to prospective industries. All the hills would bear cork-trees to any extent you pleased. The medicinal aloe succeeds very well here, especially in the North. Then there is the question of the fibre plants. There are two fibre plants, the best in the world, and they succeed here extremely well. Of one kind, the Fourcroya gigantea I have supplied a number of plants, and could give quantities. The other is the wild pine-apple, from the fibre of which the Malays make beautiful fabrics. I could furnish a large number of young plants of that for your gardens. It is a valuable product. The common tea succeeds very well in the North of New Zealand. Ido not think we could make it an article of export, but every farmer could produce his own tea, and dry it as they do in Japan. The Natives would grow many of these products. 105. Captain Colbeck!] You think the tea plant would do well in the North ? —I am certain it would do very well. That is not a matter of opinion only I have seen beautiful tea plants. Scents, I think, you should direct your attention to. One scent can be produced here in great abundance : that is the Cordyline australis, from the white flowers of the so-called cabbage-tree. There is another New Zea-