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EUCALYPTS FOR TIMBER. 



In view of the prevalence of eucalyptus forests on Oahu 

 the following bulletin of the U. S. Forest Service is of sufficient 

 local importance to be reprinted in full : 



The wood of eucalyptus has not been extensively used by 

 manufacturers in the United States, because the supply has 

 not been suflicient to establish a market. Blue gum, the most 

 common species in California, has, however, competed with 

 black locust for insulator pins, has given satisfactory service in 

 chisel and hammer handles, and has been used locally for 

 wagon tongues, axles, shafts, spokes, hubs and felloes. It is 

 hard, strong and tough. 



In cooperation with the State of California, the Forest Ser- 

 vice recently completed a study of the mechanical and physical 

 properties of tiie common eucalyptus. The tests, made at the 

 State University at Berkeley, were to determine whether 

 eucalyptus can be substituted for some of the hardwoods that 

 are becoming difficult to obtain. 



Blue gum is by far the fastest growing species. The height 

 and diamefer of trees from which the test places were taken, 

 is given in the following table. All the trees were about fifteen 

 years old : 



SPECIES. 



Common name. Botanical name. 



Blue gum Fucalyptus globulus. . . . 



Sugar gum Eucalyptus corynocalyx 



Karri Eucalyptus diversicolor. 



Manna gum Eucalyptus viminalis. . . 



Red gum Eucalyptus nostrata. . . . 



Leather-jacket. . . Eucalyptus punctata. . . 

 Red mahogany. . .Eucalyptus resinifera. . . 



An important point in considering the value of commercial 

 plantations of eucal3'ptus is brought out in the second table, 

 which shows that the fastest growing are also strongest. 



TESTS. 



