38 



to our own export trade of forest seeds such significance, is 

 the fact, that we offer thereby means of raising woods with far 

 more celerity and ease, than would be possible through dis- 

 semination of trees from any other part of the globe, it being 

 understood that the operations are instituted in climatic 

 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 longevity, nor assume gigantic dimensions, nor 

 furnish timber of durability. But there are still other reasons, 

 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 savannahs of North America, the lianas 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 quickness 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,t 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. 



Stringy-bark tree (unsifted), 21,080. 

 Swamp-gum tree (unsifted), 23,264. 

 Peppermint Eucalypt (unsifted), 17,600. 



According to this calculation we could raise from 1 Ib. of 

 seeds of the blue-gum tree 161,792 plants. Let us suppose, 

 for argument's sake, that only half the seeds of such grew, the 

 number of seedlings would be enormous; and even if only the 

 seedlings of one-quarter of the seeds of 1 Ib. finally . were 



* The seeds of Eucalyptus rostrata (our red-gum tree) are available 

 for all tropic countries, inasmuch as this species, which is almost 

 incomparably valuable for its lasting wood, ranges naturally right 

 through the hot zone of Australia. 



f The seeds of the West Australian red-gum tree (Eucalyptus 

 calophylla) and the East Australian bloodwood tree (Eucalyptus 

 corymbosa) are comparatively large and heavy. 



