Sydney does not produce so good an article, but Queensland better. The
bark is marketed in the stick, ground or chopped.
Madagascar and the Reunion Islands have also a mimosa bark.
The mimosa barks give a reddish colored leather, pump well and contain
a high tannin percentage, 10 to 35 per cent.
Now we will consider the fruit tanning materials.
Valonia may truly be called one of the most generally used tanning
agents at present employed in Europe. All countries consume it more or
less. Valonia was first used in England about the beginning of this
century. A few years later Germany began using it, and still later
Austria introduced it. It is the fruit of the oak tree and is
obtainable in Asia Minor and the adjacent islands. In form it
resembles the American acorn, but in size it nearly trebles it. The
fruit may be divided into two parts, namely, the cup and acorn, and
the cup again divided into trillor and inner cup. The acorn only
contains 10 per cent. tannin, whereas the cup contains from 25 to 40
per cent.
The percentage depends altogether upon the time of harvesting and the
place of growth. The best valonia is derived from Smyrna, and is
naturally the highest priced article. Valonia is worth from 22 to 28
florins ($9 to $11) per 100 kilos. (224 pounds) at present. The other
provinces and islands from which it is obtainable are Demergick,
Govalia, Idem, Ivalzick, Troy (this is the best); Metelino Island, the
vicinity of Smyrna.
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