ARBORICULTURE 



329 



TREE PLANTING BY SANTA FE RAIL- 

 ROAD. 



Los Angeles, Calif., Dec. 26, 1906. 

 Mr. John P. Brown, 

 Dear Sir: 

 A marked copy of "Arboriculture" for De- 

 cember has been sent me in which special 

 attention is called to the planting of Eucalyp- 

 tus trees in California by our company, for 

 railroad purposes. Had I known before that 

 you desired information on the subject 1 

 would have been glad to furnish it, as I 

 have done to a number of inquirers who 

 have written our people about it, and the 

 letters referred to me. 



We have for nearly two years, been in- 

 vestigating the growth and value of this 

 wood for practical purposes, it having so 

 far been grown in this country almost ex- 

 clusively in California, and there, more for 

 fuel and shade trees than anything else. 



Our inquiries have been from a railway 

 standpoint: that is, the life service to be 

 obtained from timber in contact with the 

 ground; ties and bridge piling, for instance, 

 and of this we find in different parts of the 

 state ample proof that the necessary varie- 

 ties can be grown fully as well, if not better, 

 than in their native home, Australia. 



I will not burden you with measurements, 

 but thei-e is ample proof that in good soil 

 and in the right location, we can reasonably 

 hope to expect six standard ties from each 

 tree in twelve to fifteen years, or eight in 

 fifteen to eighteen, from varieties which will 

 give us an estimated twelve years' service. 

 This is much less than they get in Australia, 

 but there the ties are cut from matured 

 trees, which undoubtedly lengthens the life, 

 and they use Ironbarks largely (also Eucal- 

 pyti), but of much slower growth and giving 

 a life of twenty-five years. 



Later on when the venture shall have 

 proven a success, the railroad officials of 

 the future may see fit to plant varieties 

 taking fifty years to mature, and get ties 

 giving twenty-five years service, but for 

 the present, we will be content if we can 

 get twelve years' service out of trees grown 

 in eighteen. 



We have selected about ten varieties, 

 nearly all of which are found to thrive ex- 

 cellently in California, so that we are taking 

 little or no chances, and the plan is to set 

 out several hundred acres each year until 

 our ranch of 7,000 acres is fully planted. 



The land purchased for the purpose is in 

 San Diego county, within three miles of the 

 coast, but protected from the ocean winds, 

 although near enough to get full benefit of 

 the damp atmosphere generally found so 

 near the water. 



It is not intended to irrigate in the usual 

 way, but for the first two years the young 

 trees will be thoroughly cultivated and 



watered once or twice from tanks during the 

 season, depending upon conditions; the 

 third year, only cultivation will be given, 

 and after that they will be let alone, as 

 ample proof is at hand that irrigation is not 

 necessary where other conditions are fa- 

 vorable. 



The trees will be planted in eight-foot 

 rows, five feet apart in each row, so as to 

 prevent branching; and after the tree has 

 formed itself, say in four years, every alter- 

 nate one will be cut out and fence posts 

 made of them, leaving the rest eight feet 

 by ten feet, to mature. With one or two 

 varieties we may vary a little from this 

 program. 



As I have said, the best are the Iron- 

 barks, but they are too slow growth for us. 

 If you desire the names of those we intend 

 planting, I give the botanical name here- 

 with and also the local one under which 

 they are generally known in Australia: 



E. *Corynocalyx (Sugar Gum), E. Corym- 

 bosa (Bloodwood), E. Citriodora (Lemon- 

 Scented Gum), E. Goniocalyx (Spotted 

 Gum), E. Hetnephloia (Graybox), E. Mi- 

 crocorvs (Tallow wood), E. Pilularis (Black- 

 butt), E. Resinifera (Red Mahogany), E. 

 Rostrata (Murray Red Gum), E. Teretecorn- 

 is (Forest Red Gum). 



Nearly all of these are useful for other 

 purposes, and in the future users of hard- 

 woods in nearly all branches, including fur- 

 niture, will have to fall back largely on 

 Eucalyptus for a supply, as the wood is 

 almost as hard as the best grade of Ameri- 

 can Hickory. 



We expect to try some in Southern Texas, 

 in order to experiment in extending the 

 territory in which they can be grown. 



In Kansas, Indiana, or states in those lo- 

 calities, for tree planting, I should certainly 

 say Catalpa Speciosa, but where the Eu- 

 calyptus will grow successfully, that is un- 

 questionably the tree to plant. 



I had not known before of the forest 

 trees planted by S. T. Kelsey for the Santa 

 Fe but will inquire about them and see 

 how they look. Mr. Merritt told me about 

 some Catalpas planted near Bakersfield and 

 Fresno, which I shall be glad to look over 

 as soon as I can find the exact locality. 



If you desire any further informafion as 

 to our Eucalyptus planting or any reference 

 to the wood itself, I shall be glad to furnish 

 it if possible. Yours very truly, 



E. O. Falkner, 

 Manager, tie and timber department. 

 Note.— It must be understood by readers 

 of Arboriculture that all varieties of Eucal- 

 yptus are sub-tropical, and can only be 

 grown in a few localities in the United 

 States, the southern part of California and 

 part of Arizona, being practically the lim- 

 it. — Editor. 



