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FORESTRY. 



COMMUNICA TIONS. 



THE EUCALYPTUS IN CALIFORNIA. 



Ill several numbers of the Monthly I have no- 

 ticed articles relating tn the Eucalyptus. In 

 aome parts of California this tree grows well ; 

 there are some within twenty miles of here 

 thirty to forty feet high. I have some from seed 

 planted last May, about four feet high. I do 

 not like them. There are many finer trees na- 

 tives of our State. The railroad intends to set 

 out 800,000 of them along the road, from Sacra- 

 mento down. They have procured 40,000, and 

 intend to get others as soon as possible. 



I think it a poor investment. Our native 

 walnut makes a magnificent shade tree. We 

 have six in front of our dwelling that are as fine 

 as any one could desire. They are hardier than 

 the English walnut, and are very seldom injured. 

 They grow readily from seed. The leaves are 

 not much over one-quarter as large as the Eng- 

 lish ; are of a darker green color, and more 

 thickly set on the tree ; in fact, they are so thick 

 the sun can hardly stray through them. Would 

 vou like a few seeds of them ? 



TIMBER NOTES FROM CALIFORNIA. 



BY J. M. HUTCHINGS. 



The Pinus Lanibertiana, or sugar pine, is the 

 best pine we have for finishing purposes, and 

 frequently attains a diameter of from 8 to 10 

 feet, and an altitude of 250 feet. It is often 120 

 feet to the first limb, and " straight as an arrow." 

 The Pinus ponderosa is more durable exposed, 

 and has a much greater strength for heavy tim- 

 bers, floors, joists, &c. The wood of Red Wood 

 (Sequoia sempervirens) is in every respect like the 

 wood of the Big Tree (Sequoia gigantea), and is 

 second only in size to the latter. Both are in- 

 valuable for lumber, and exceedingly durable. 

 As an instance of the latter quality, I will men- 

 tion one example I found in the Frezno Grove. 

 A tree about twenty -six feet in diameter lay pros- 



trate ; another of the same species had grown 

 up beside it, but as it was unable to push the 

 prostrate monarch out of its way, it had (jrown 

 over it six feel and eight inches; and although it 

 had probably been there hundreds of years, was 

 quite sound when I saw its thrifty young scion 

 growing over it. The timber in the " mi.ssion " 

 buildings of California is mostly Red Wood ; 

 yet, although nearly one hundred years have 

 rolled away since they were built, the timber is 

 perfectly sound. Then, in specific gravity, it ia 

 lightest of all. Its value, however, would be 

 mainly for finishing purposes, as the yellow 

 pine would bear a tension of three to one where 

 strength was needed. It splits easily either way 

 of the grain. Owing to this latter, and other 

 qualities, it has become almost indispensable for 

 fence posts and railroad ties, &c. The sugar 

 pine is easily riven, and it forms the staple tim- 

 ber tor " stakes " and " shingles." These trees 

 do not command the attention their invaluable 

 qualities would invite and justify. 



EDITORIAL NOTES. 



Tar, Rosin and Turpentine. — These still con- 

 tinue among the leading exports from Wilming- 

 ton, North Carolina. Of pine tar, no less than 

 18,201 barrels more were shipped than the year 

 before. The price there is about $1.60 per bar- 

 rel. Of turpentine there was the enormous in- 

 crease of 5G,793 barrels — 33 per cent, over the 

 previous year; price $2.25 per barrel. In rosin 

 there has been a decrease of 17,829 barrels. The 

 ruling price is $1.75 per barrel. The Wilmington 

 Review, from which we take these figures, adds : 



" There are vast forests of virgin pine in this 

 section of the State, untouched. They are far 

 from a market and hence are not worked, having 

 never been touched, either for turpentine or 

 timber. These forests are to be fouml at the in- 

 tersection of the three counties of Pender, Dup- 

 lin and Onslow, and this is the country that the 

 people of Wilmington are interested in opening 

 up now to a market." 



