Richmond N.S.W
April 27th 1887
My dear Baron,
Although Mr Bentham gives
A. dealbata
(Link) from Port Jackson to the Blue Mountains,
it rather belongs to the Western side of the Dividing Range. I have seen it in gardens
on the Blue Mountains but it certainly is not common there. This is the "Silver Wattle"
of the Colonists.
With regard to the two forms of
A. decurrens
called "Black & Green Wattles", it is more easy to distinguish them by their bark,
habit, time & colour of flowering than by any other note
1. The "Black
wattle is common about Port Jackson Parramatta & other parts near the coast. The
habit of this variety is somewhat spreading, the bark generally of a
dark colour
, & the butts of the trees frequently pierced by grubs. It flowers about August or
September, the flowers are of a rich yellow colour, & the fruit is formed a month
or two later. The bark is much prized for tanning
2. "The Green Wattle" is common in this neighbourhood, the Blue Mountains, Illawarra
&c The tree is straighter in habit than the Black Wattle, the bark of a
greenish
colour, & the butt not so much (generally speaking) pierced by grubs. It flowers
about December, the flowers are smaller & of a paler colour than those of the Black
Wattle, & the leaves, (as you will see by the enclosed) are quite glabrous. The fruit
forms much later than that of the other. I am sorry I cannot send you a leaf of the
Black Wattle for comparison, but I think the leaflets are rather longer, thicker,
& somewhat pubescent
I am doubtful as to whether the var
mollis
or
mollissima
occurs between Port Jackson & the Mountains.
I should mention that our "Black Wattle" seems identical with that figured in Brown's
South Australian Plants,
& I should add that this var. produces more gum than the others. It exudes in quant[it]ies
from the trees near Sydney & P'matta,
& boys make what they call "Gum jelly" from it. The wattles are not long lived, &
I think many are destroyed by grubs.
I recd your telegram
& wrote to Mr Walker by the next post. I hope soon to hear from him, or perhaps he
may communicate with you.
Mrs Woolls sends her compts & thanks you very much for the Programme.
Yours very sincerely
William Woolls
P.S.
It is unfortunate that no flowers or fruit of
A. decurrens
can be got now
Do you think that Brown's figure represents var
mollis
& our Green wattle var.
normalis
? You will notice the numerous glands on the rachis
