58 EUCALYPTS CULTIVATED IN THE UNITED STATES. 



On young trees the leaves are mostly round or oval, while those of 

 the mature trees are nearly lance-shaped. (See PI. LXXXI, c.) The 

 latter are somewhat thick, the upper surface being a shiny dark green 

 and the lower surface dull and lighter in color. The bloom is profuse 

 from an early age, and the flowers are conspicuous among the leaves. 

 During the blooming season the trees are visited by large numbers 

 of bees. It produces flowers during several months, the autumn being 

 the time of the year when bees frequent it most. The unopened buds 

 are club-shaped and the cover abruptly pointed. The fruit is oblong, 

 urn-shaped, with longitudinal streaks or faint grooves showing on the 

 face of some specimens. (See PI. LVI.) 



Climatic requirements. — The Sugar Gum will grow in a variety 

 of climates. It thrives in California within a few hundred yards of 

 the water of the Pacific Ocean, and grows equally well in parts of the 

 dry valleys of southern Arizona. It profits by moisture, but will 

 endure a great amount of drought. In the interior valleys of southern 

 California and Arizona it withstands both the intense heat of summer 

 and the frosts of most winters, enduring a maximum temperature of 

 110° to 115- F. , and a minimum temperature of 20° to 25° F. As illus- 

 trations of its adaptability to different environments, tine specimens of 

 these trees can be seen at Santa Monica, Cal., and near Glendale, Ariz. 



Uses. — The Sugar Gum can be used as a forest cover in hot, arid 

 regions where the frosts are not too severe. Baron von Mueller says: 

 '"For desert country this is one of the most eligible among timber Euca- 

 lypts. "using the term "timber Eucalvpts" in distinction from the smaller 

 species (called in Australia c *mallee shrubs") that thrive in hot. desert 

 regions. Among those attaining the stature of trees the Sugar Gum 

 is one of the best for forest culture in a desert region. It must be 

 understood, however, that it does not endure the heaviest frosts that 

 occur in winter in some parts of the arid Southwest having hot sum- 

 mers, nor the high temperatures of some of the hottest valleys. Thus 

 far it has been used in California chiefly as an avenue shade tree, its 

 value as a forest and timber tree not having been realized by many. 

 To be sure it is a useful species for furnishing shelter and shade to 

 stock in desert regions, but its greater usefulness lies in other directions. 

 The Sugar Gum deserves to be planted much more generally and upon 

 a much larger scale than it has been, it being one of. the most generally 

 useful species of the genus. It does not grow quite as rapidly as the 

 Blue Gum. but is more useful for many purposes. As a source of 

 fence posts it is very valuable. 



The Sugar Gum furnishes a timber that is very durable as railway 

 ties, as posts, and for other underground situations. Baron von 

 Mueller states that posts set in the ground fifteen years showed no 

 signs of decay. The wood warps very little in drying, and when dry 

 is very hard. It is also useful for the naves and felloes of wheels. 



