66 Mississippi Valley Horticultural Society. 



of properties preventing malarial fevers. Also has "disinfectant virtues, and 

 is antiseptic for wounds — its essential oil being a stimulant, and the tannin 

 in the leaves, acting as a tonic astringent applied exteriorly, hastens healing 

 of Avounds." Chemists enumerate its uses as "an infusion, decoction, pow- 

 der, distilled water, tincture, extract and essence." It is of as rapid growth 

 as the Cottonwoods of the Missouri valley, and yet of hardwood. The 

 wood combines density of texture with rapidity of growth A singular char- 

 acteristic is, that growing isolated, it reaches upward astonishingly, does not 

 branch out laterally, as do near all other varieties under similar circumstances. 

 It is equally durable for underground uses, and railroad ties, as oak. The 

 wood is compact and tenacious, and owing to the presence of resinous mat 

 ter, possesses unusual incorruptibility, which allows it to remain in contact 

 with salt water to advantage. Keels of the best South American whale ships 

 are made from the variety Eucalyptus globulus. The English navy value it 

 for solidity, tenacity and durability. In its native habitat it grows to enor- 

 mous size, excelled only by California big trees — Sequoia gigantUt. Baron 

 Ferd. von Mueller reports "a plank on exhibition at the London Exposition, 

 in 1862, ten feet in width and seventy-fiv.e feet in length. Australia desired 

 to send a plank 175 feet long, but no ship could be found to transport it." 



Ellwood Cooper, Santa Barbara, California, has given much attention to 

 the cultivation of these trees. He reports thirty one varieties introduced, 

 and has a plantation of over fifty thousand trees growing in forest form. His 

 experience shows "a growth in three years, from a seedling transplanted, of 

 nine and one-half inches in diameter, and forty-two and one-half feet high. 

 At this rate sixty years would give a tree sixteen feet in diameter." 



It grows without irrigation, on the highest, dryest, arid soils of Southern 

 California. > Particularly from Los Angeles to San Diego, and intermediate 

 sections, much attention is given its cultivation. It has been introduced 

 with success in Algeria. M. Trottier, a colonist and planter there, estimates 

 the " profits of one thousand trees at five years old at $240, and at twenty-five 

 years at over $10,000. By actual measurement the annual growth was found 

 to be four and one-half inches in circumference. The growth in height, an 

 average of nineteen inches per month. A yearling seedling planted out in 

 May measured nineteen feet high the following December. At the age of 

 fifteen years the tree measured over seventy feet in height." 



It is excellent for fuel, but must be cut, split, and worked up while green. 

 Wlien dry and well seasoned it is said to "split cros.s-wise about as well as 

 length- wise with the grain." 



The editor of Rural Odifwnia, Geo. Rice, Esq., Los Angeles, who is doing 

 much to encourage the cultivation of Eucalyptus, gives strong fact-^ and rea- 

 sons when he says: "These fuel forests are the very bt-st and most certain 

 investments that capital can be put into in this section." 



A blue gum plantation, fm ])roperly selected soil, will take care of itself, 

 and in eight or ten years bring to its owner a certain result, in the way of 

 income, yearly. P^om that time into tlio indelinite future the tree repro- 



