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Yearbook of Agriculture 1949 



SOUTHERN MAGNOLIA is a medium- 

 sized or tall (25 to 60 feet), round- 

 topped or pyramidal evergreen with 

 large, thick, glossy, dark-green leaves 

 and rust-colored branchlets and buds. 

 It is slow of growth, moderately long- 

 lived, and relatively few insects and 

 diseases bother it. The large, white, 

 showy, fragrant flowers come in late 

 summer and fall. It is hardy through- 

 out the region except in the higher 

 mountains, but does not tolerate alkali. 

 Altogether, it is a satisfactory orna- 

 mental for home and street. It should 

 be given additional moisture in sum- 

 mer in most parts of the region. 



CAMPHOR-TREE is a handsome, com- 

 pact, medium-sized and oval-crowned, 

 evergreen tree, 20 to 40 feet in height 

 when mature, with dense, glossy, light- 

 green foliage, bronze-tinged in spring. 

 The leaves, which have an odor of 

 camphor when crushed, cast a fairly 

 dense shade. The flowers are small, yel- 

 low, and inconspicuous; the growth 

 rate is moderate, and the length of 

 life is average. The trunk is rather 

 heavy and enlarged at the base. Cam- 

 phor-tree is satisfactory for planting 

 around the home and as a street tree if 

 parkways are wide enough. It is hardy 

 in most of the region, including the 

 central valleys, but it needs access to 

 additional moisture in the drier situa- 

 tions in summer. It is fairly tolerant 

 of alkali. 



RED IRONBARK, a slender and open, 

 medium-sized, evergreen tree of the 

 eucalyptus family, eventually grows to 

 50 to 60 feet in height. It has rough, 

 furrowed, dark, and persistent bark 

 and small, gray-green leaves. The 

 flowers are deep pink and are produced 

 in profusion in late winter, spring, and 

 into June. Its growth rate is moderate 

 and its longevity is average. It is hardy 

 to about 15 F. and stands drought 

 well. Thus it is adapted to both coastal 

 and inland situations. Moderately al- 

 kali-tolerant, it is a satisfactory tree for 

 roadsides as well as for backgrounds or 

 screen planting around the home. 



THE CALIFORNIA PEPPERTREE is a 

 medium to large and broadly round- 

 topped, evergreen tree, and 30 to 50 

 feet high when mature. Its finely cut, 

 light-green and drooping foliage casts 

 a light shade. The small and yellowish- 

 white flowers come in many-branched 

 clusters and are followed in fall by 

 pendent bunches of small, rose-colored 

 fruits that persist through the winter. It 

 grows fast and is of average longevity. 

 It is somewhat tender, but it can stand 

 temperatures of about 18 F.; conse- 

 quently, it is usable in most of southern 

 California and the milder parts of cen- 

 tral and northern California. Although 

 it is drought-resistant and somewhat 

 tolerant of alkali, it has the reputation 

 of harboring black scale and therefore 

 is in disfavor among many citrus grow- 

 ers. It is also susceptible to Armillaria 

 root rot, better known in the region as 

 oak root fungus, and for that reason 

 is uncertain on land formerly occupied 

 by oak woodlands. It used to be planted 

 often as a street tree, but for that pur- 

 pose it has several faults. Nevertheless, 

 the peppertree is so firmly identified 

 with California, so attractive when it is 

 properly used around the home, and 

 fits so well with California architecture 

 that it will remain popular. 



CAPE CHESTNUT is a medium-sized, 

 round-headed tree, 50 to 60 feet high 

 when mature. Its medium-sized, elon- 

 gated, somewhat sparse leaves cast a 

 light shade. Growth rate is moderate; 

 it is fairly long-lived. It is cultivated 

 chiefly for its panicles of showy, laven- 

 der-rose flowers that appear in late 

 May and June. Hardy in most of south- 

 ern California and in warmer situations 

 elsewhere in the region, it can endure 

 temperatures to about 15 F. In the 

 colder locations it is partly deciduous. 

 It is suitable for planting around the 

 home and as a street tree, but it re- 

 quires watering in the summer. 



THE GINKGO, an erect, rounded, and 

 pyramidal tree, becomes somewhat 

 spreading with age. The ginkgo is long- 

 lived and rather slow growing to an 



