64 FOREST CULTURE AND 
zones similar to our own. ‘Trees with softer kinds of 
woods, such as Poplars and Willows, even though they 
may rival some of the Eucalypts in quickness of 
growth, cannot be well drawn into comparison, as 
most of them do not live in dry soil, nor attain lon- 
gevity, nor assume gigantic dimensions, nor furnish 
timber of durability. But there are still other rea- 
sons which have drawn our Eucalypts into extensive 
cultural use elsewhere — for instance, in Algeria, 
Spain, Portugal, Italy, the south of France, Greece, 
Egypt, Palestine, various uplands of India, the savan- 
nahs of North America, the llanas of South America, 
at Natal and other places in South Africa, and even 
as near as New Zealand.* One of the advantages 
offered is the extraordinary facility and quick- 
ness with which the seeds are raised, scarcely any 
care being requisite in nursery works; a seedling, 
moreover, being within a year, or even less time, fit 
for final transplantation. Another advantage consists 
in the ease with which the transit can be effected, 
in consequence of the minuteness of most kinds of 
Eucalyptus seeds,+ there being, besides, no difficulty 
in packing on account of the natural dryness of these 
seeds. For curiosity’s sake I had an ounce of the 
seed of several species counted, with the following 
results:— 
Blue Gum-tree, one ounce—sifted fertile seed grains.... 10,112 
Strmey-bark tree) (unsifted) mci joe ee wie tciese efeusie cle slow ee 21,080 
Swamp Gnim-tree ((WASIEbeC)\. = neeiiee sa leslele erceielceeiene seman te Oe 
Peppermint Eucalypt (unsifted). ...............2..0+.+- 17,600 
* The seeds of Eucalyptus rostrata (our Red Gum-tree) are available for 
all tropic countries, inasmuch as this species, which is almost incompara- 
bly valuable for its lasting wood, ranges naturally right through the hot 
zone of Australia. 
+ The seeds of the West Australian Red Gum-tree (Eucalyptus calophylla) 
and the East Australian Bloodwood:tree (Eucalyptus corymbosa) are coma 
paratively large and heavy. 
