54 \\\\iv\. Tall Trees of Ausivalia. [voV'^'xx'x'v 



sempcrvircns is certainly the taller of the two. . . The 

 greatest size of the Big Trees is 300 to 330 feet in height, and 

 a diameter (10 feet above the base) of 30 to 37 feet. Excep- 

 tionally large specimens of the Redwood are 325 to 350 feet 

 high and 18 to 20 feet in diameter 10 feet alwve the base. 

 Ordinarily the Big Tree does not exceed a height of 250 to 

 280 feet and a diameter above the swollen base of 12 to 17 feet. 

 The usual size attained b}' the Redwood is 8 to 12 feet in 

 diameter and 190 to 280 feet in height." 



Sequoia sempcrvircns and Eucalyptus regnans have some 

 points in common, however, and a few may be stated. 



They are the tallest trees in their respective countries. They 

 are valuable timber trees — each, perhaps, the most useful 

 its country produces. They are both evergreens, the old leaves 

 remaining more than one season. The greater part of the seed 

 is infertile. The seed is exceptionally small for such large 

 trees — in E. regnans less than that of a gooseberry. The^^ both 

 rejoice in climatic conditions wherein the temperature 

 rarely falls below 15° F. (30° for Eucalyptus), or rises above 

 100° F. (90° F. for this Eucalypt), with a rainfall of 20-60 

 inches. Their woods are fissile. 



Having stated their points of agreement, a few differences 

 may be mentioned. The Redwood is immune from fungoid 

 and insect pests. E. regnans is subject to longicorn and other 

 borers, termites (" ants "), and fungoid disease such as 

 the bracket-like Xylostroma, with mycelium like a sheet of 

 chamois leather conforming concentrically to the heartwood 

 -rings. The wood of Redwood is non-porous, and easily seasoned ; 

 that of E. regnans has large pores visible to the naked eye, and 

 requires careful seasoning and filling before final dressing. 

 Redwood is a soft, brownish-red colour, and light ; E. regnans 

 is a pale straw colour, hard as oak almost, and com- 

 paratively heavy. The former resists decay in contact with 

 the ground ; the latter has not such endurance. Redwood is 

 a conifer ; E. regnans is of the " Myrtle blooms," to use 

 Lindley's old term. The former has rough, persistent bark, 

 and the latter decorticates annually, leaving the greater part 

 of the trunk smooth ; and finally- -not to make too long a tale — 

 this point of difference, important in forestry : Sequoia sempcr- 

 vircns suckers freely, while Eucalyptus regnans reproduces by 

 seed only, so far as 1 am aware. 



Both Sequoia gigantca and sempervirens are cultivated as 

 ornamental trees in parks and gardens of south-east Australia, 

 especially in the belt between the summit of the Dividing Range 

 and the sea, in Victoria. At l-Jallarat the Big Tree is doing well, 

 many trees being planti^l in i\\v park near Lake ^^'endouree : 

 and fine young specimens al)()u( 100 feet high are on Mount 



