PART IV. 



IDENTIFICATION OF EUCALYPTS. 



Most of the seedling Eucalypts planted in the Southwest were not 

 labeled when set out, and the identity of the adult trees thus usually 

 became a matter of uncertainty. The identification of a particular 

 Eucalypt tree is often of great importance. It may be one that is 

 thriving in the situation in which it is growing, but unless its name be 

 ascertained its value as a timber tree can not be known without pitting 

 the wood to an actual test, and thus destroying the tree. Or it may be 

 known to be a desirable tree for some particular purpose or purposes, 

 but the tree may not produce fertile seed from which it may be propa- 

 gated. Moreover, a tree might thrive and produce fertile seed, but 

 without a knowledge of its name the tree could not be written about 

 or spoken of conveniently. Without knowing its name, seed or plants 

 of the same species could not well be ordered by one desirous of obtain- 

 ing them. It is also a matter of considerable interest to the possessor 

 of Eucalypt trees to be able to establish for himself the identity of 

 each of them. For the foregoing and for other reasons the identifi- 

 cation of individual Eucalypts is a matter of great importance. The 

 more thoroughly the tree is known from all standpoints, the more 

 rapidly will information concerning it be disseminated. And the 

 better the merits of the tree are understood, the more widely and 

 extensively will it be planted. 



It being necessary that students of Eucalypts pursue a more system- 

 atic method of identifying specimens of the genus than would be pos- 

 sible through the use of the preceding pages, the following treatment 

 of the genus from a botanical standpoint is appended. The descrip- 

 tions of the family to which the genus Eucalyptus belongs, and also 

 the description of the genus and species are modified from those given 

 in the works of Baron von Mueller, Mr. George Bentham, and Mr. ,1. 

 II. Maiden. Descriptions are included of only those species the indi- 

 viduals of which reach at least 50 feet in height and 1 foot in diameter. 

 Very brief descriptions are given of those species which have been 

 discussed more fully in the preceding pages. Somewhat fuller descrip- 

 tions are given of those not so fully treated previously. Brief state- 

 ments are also made as to the utility of these latter species. What are 

 supposed to he specimens of many oi the 28 species described in the 

 botanical part onl\ of this publication are now growing in the South- 



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