Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-02-01
ACACIA TREES MAY
Be CULTIVATED
PR0FITABLY
Department Of Agriculture Is
sues Bulletin on Their Vail
ue as Source Of Tannin and
Timber.


lspreiAt eoREesroNurser 70 MOANING IouRsAu
Washington Jan 3d. Some Of the
acacias group of trees with world
circling range, are SO valuable as
source OF tannin and timbcr. says the
department Of agriculture IN IL bullc.
tin recently issued that their com.
mercial cultivation IN certain portions
OF the United States may prove cx
tremely profitable Aside from their
value for tannin and lumber, the de-
partment goes on 60 say. they are well
adapted for the reclamation OF sandy
md semi-desert lands, some spocies
being able to thrive with only three
inches Of rainfall.
An told, there are about 4b0 species
Of acaelas, 500 Of which are Aus
tralian species and the rest scattered
over the world, principally in Asia,
Africa, and America. Australian aca-
cias We're introduced into California
at about the same time the eucalypts
were, and like the latter have thrivcd
there. Like the eucalyptus, too, they
are not resistant to frost
with go many species OF acacias
there IS naturally no form and no
rate Of growth common TO the whole
group. Some acaeias are mere her
baceous plants: some are towering
trees most are shrubs and some, in
fact, are vines or climbers The larg-
est acacia grows more than 60 feet
high. with trunk clear of branches
for fifty Of sixty feet ana a diameter
of from two to four feet Those which
are most used for commercial prod
ucts, particularly for tannin. do not
need to attain large size or great age
before the products are morchanta-
BILE
Many kinds are well adapted 20 the
reclamation OF drifting sand dunes
This has been demonstrated on the
California sea coast, clear down toI
the ocean beach, directly exposed tpI
heavy gales and dense salt fogs. In
Golden Gate park, san Francisco, for
example, they have heen chiefly in
strumentai in making "A magnificent
park out Of a waste Of drifting sand,
At the present time the chief Gem
merclal value a. acacias, says the de-
pnrtment, seems TO be for tanbark,
although the tanbark species have im-
portant hy-prCducts All 81 the Lead
ing tanbark acacias ccme from Aus
tlalla where they. are generally
known as wattlcs, from the fact that
they were originally used for weaving
and waiting the walls Of huts Actual
tannin contents Of the three princi-
pal tanbarlS acaciaa, as shown hy
analyses nc the University OF Cali
fornia. are from "a to As per cent.
Oak and chestnut. the woods prinol-
pally used In this country, yield from
eight to thirteen per cent Of tnnnin.
Acacia timber is beautiful In grain
and durable In contact with the
ground. Even tho smaller species
have a value for tool handles furni-
uure ana various other useful and orr
namenta objects Some OF the best
species yield hard. close-grain,
tough timber comparable 60 walnut
and rosewood
In addition to tannln and timber
many Of the acaeiaa produce valuable
by-products. The widely known gum
arabic is derived principally from the
Arabic acacia, though also from a
number Of Asiatlc and African desert
species Clutch. an nstringcnt gum in
constant demand, is another acacia
product Many other kinds of gums
are yielded by different acacia species
The flowers of still another species.
known as cassie yield a perfume, the
manufacture Of which az Grass.
France, the center Of the perfume In
dustry ia very profitable. A full
grown tree yields about 800 pounds
of flowers. Cassie growing utilities
poor soils. incapable of bearing grain
or fruit crops.
So far, acteias have been planted IN
the United States simply az ornamen-
tails. and the information secured from
q study of these does not throw much
light upon the behavior of the trees
under closely planted commercial
conditions Yet successful acacia
plantations have been made IN other
countries, and II seems not unlikely
according TO tho officials OF the de-
partment taat they can be made a
success in this country Their culti-
walton viii have TO be confined Of
course. TO the comparatively frostless
regions of the Gulf coast, the south
west. and California.
Nothing Wasted.
Now the thrifty housewives are
trying to find some use for old graph.
ophone records