California Agriculturist and Live Stock Journal. 



The Counli-y Geniieman says that "Smith 

 i- Powell of Syracuse have for many 

 years employ^ed evergreen screens on a 

 portion of their nursery grounds to much 

 advantage. Plants on the lee side of a 

 screen thirty feet high, are visibly bene- 

 fitted by the protection to a distance of 

 forty or fifty rods, and more distinctly 

 for twenty rods. In one instance, a fif- 

 teen acre wheat field thus protected bore 

 an excellent and even crop ; while in an- 

 other field exposed to the sweep of w'inds, 

 it was killed in patches, and, as was esti- 

 mated, yielded only one-half as much as 

 on the sheltered land. Grass near the 

 screen furnishes earlier pasturage than 

 on the exposed surfaces." 



Mr. C. S. Abbott, of Salinas, uttered 

 the following on this subject in an ad- 

 dress before the Agricultural Association 

 of his county last fall: "The subject of 

 shelter has not been sufiSciontly con- 

 sidered or discussed in this country. 

 When you cut down a large piece of 

 woodland, you change the climate of the 

 tract of laud which has been sheltered 

 by it from the force of the prevailing 

 winds. When you clothe apiece of land 

 with timber, you make a milder climate 

 for the land lying to leeward and shel- 

 tered by it. Who has not observed that 

 the vegetation was much the rankest on 

 the lee-side of a fence, as our winds in 

 summer time always blow in the same 

 direction? Instead of a fence, suppose a 

 belt of gum trees, (say twenty or thirty 

 feet wide) were planted across the valley 

 every half mile, which in ten or fifteen 

 years would be from GO to 100 feet high. 

 This would not only furnish fuel for the 

 entire population, but would entirely 

 break the raw coast winds from the val- 

 ley. Then the light showers that fall 

 during the night at the close of the rainy 

 season would have the desired effect on 

 the growing crops instead of being licked 

 up by ten o'clock the next morning by a 

 gale from the northwest. The roots of 

 the trees would strike deep into the soil. 

 sap the moisture from the' earth and 

 diffuse it through the jiores of the earth 

 into the atmosphere. A large percentage 

 of the tree itself is water; moisture at- 

 tracts moisture, hence it is more likely 

 to rain in timbered countries than on 

 arid plains. Take for example the 

 amount of rainfall from Cape St. Lucas 

 to Puget Sound, and you will find that 

 it varies from sixty inches to nothing, 

 according to the density of the foliage." 



The Stockton /ac/e^jf lu/eH/ says: "There 

 is every reason and argument in favor of, 

 and no objection against it. If cordons 

 of trees a few miles apart were planted 

 across the valley, a perfect barrier and 

 wind-break would be formed, to prevent 

 the disastrous results that are frequently 

 felt in the grainfields from the drying, 

 withering, scorching north winds that 

 come in that critical jieriod when the 

 young grain is in milk and before it has 

 reached a safe maturity. A single year's 

 loss in grain in this valley from the 

 effects of the north wind would be suffi- 

 cient to plant all the trees that could be 

 induced to live for years to come. The 

 lack of firewood is another inducement 

 to tree-planting, and the shade that they 

 would give to stock w-ould go far to alle- 

 viate their sufferings in the heated term, 

 when the valley is like a fiery furnace. 

 Trees plentifully and systematically 

 planted would also effect such a change 

 in the climate of the valley that its 

 barrenness would be transformed to fruit- 

 fulness, and moisture would be retained 

 in the soil throughout the year. The 

 present is the most favorable season of 

 the year for tree jjlanting, and its prose- 

 t'Ution thould be given every encourage- 

 ment. Large areas in France have lately 

 been planted with forest trees on tracts 



of land that have become unfruitful for 

 other purposes, and it is said that they 

 are nourishing finely. It is said that 

 5,000,U00 hectares, or I'i.a.'iO.OOO acres— 

 about one-half the area of Ohio— have 

 become unproductive as agricultural 

 lands. Pine trees, without any cultiva- 

 tion and a very inexpensive supervision, 

 can be made to grow upon these barren 

 acres, netting about S30. 000,000 per 

 annum. Other trees have been planted 

 with similar economic results, and now 

 landed proprietors are looking to tree 

 planting as a means of utilizing their un- 

 productive acres." 



THE EUCALYPTTTS. 



The Eucalyptus, or Australian gum 

 tree, is so well and favorably known in 

 California, that little need be said in its 

 favor. It is bound to bo the forest tree 

 on this coast, owing to its rapid growth, 

 tall, straight trunk, strength and elastic- 

 ity of timber, value as fuel, and general 

 usefulness as timber. For the first ten 

 years of gi-owth, the blue gum will aver- 

 age ten feet a year, or 100 feet high in 

 ten years, when grown on deep, rich, 

 moist soils, and it will grow very fairly 

 on dry soil. Here is a description of the 

 four principal and most valuable varie- 

 ties of this tree, as given by Baron Fer- 

 dinand Von Mueller, of Australia: 



EUCALYPTUS (ILORULUS. 



(Blue-gum tree of Victoria and Tasma- 

 na) — This tree is of extremely rajiid 

 growth, and attains a hight of four hun- 

 dred feet, furnishing a first-class wood. 

 Shipbuilders get keels of this timber 1-20 

 feet long; they also use it extensively 

 for planking and other parts of the 

 ship. 



It is considered superior to American 

 Rock Elm. A test of strength made 

 between some bhie-gura, English oak and 

 Indian teak, showed that the blue gum 

 carried H pounds weight more than than 

 the oak and 17 pounds i ounces more 

 than teak upon the square inch. It is 

 extensixely used by carpenters for all 

 all kinds of out-door work, for fence 

 rails, shafts and spokes of drays, and a 

 variety of other purposes. 



For railway sleepers it lasts about nine 

 years. The wood is of a yellowish grey 

 tint, with a close, straight grain. 'The 

 seeds are extremely minute, an ounce 

 containing several thmisauds. As an 

 absorbent or ueutralizer of malaria the 

 Eucalyptus Globuls is believed to pos- 

 sess rem.arkable qualities. Pestiferous 

 swamps in Algiers and other countries 

 have been planted ■with it and have be- 

 come healthy localities. 



Through the efforts of the Italian Pa- 

 triot, General Garabaldi, the deadly 

 Campagna, near Ii()me, is about to be 

 planted with Australian blue gum. 



EUCVLITTUS KOSTRATA. 



(The red gum-tree of Victoria, South 

 Australia, and many river flats in the 

 interior of the Australian Continent.) — 

 It is a hard, dense wood with a hand- 

 some, curly, but rather short grain. It 

 is almost entirely free from the tendency 

 to longitudinal shrinkage which is the in- 

 variable characteristic of all the other 

 varieties of Eucalyptus. It is of extra- 

 ordinary endurance underground, and 

 therefore, highly valued for fence-posts, 

 piles and railway sleepers. It is exten- 

 sively used by shipbuilders for main- 

 sterns, inner-posts, dead-wood, floor 

 timbers, futtocks, trausomes, knight- 

 heads, hawse-pieces, cant, stern, quar- 

 ter, and fashion timber, windlass, bow- 

 rails, etc. It should be steamed before 

 it is worked for planking. Next to the 

 Jarrab, from western Australia, it is the 

 best wood for resisting the attacks of the 



sea worms and white ants. Its possible 

 uses are almost too various for enumera- 

 tion, as an instance of which it may be 

 mentioned that it is used with great ad- 

 vantage and economy for the bearings of 

 machinery, the cost being almost nomi- 

 nal as compared with brass, whilst the 

 material is equally serviceable and al- 

 most indestructible. 



KL'CAI.YI>T08 AMYODAIiINA: 



(In the sheltered, springy forest glens of 

 Victoria attaining not uufrequently a 

 highth of over four hundred feet.) The 

 wood splits easily and in a straight di- 

 rection. It is well adapted for shingles, 

 rails, house building, for the keelson 

 and planking of shijjs, and for other 

 purposes. 



Seedlings raised on rather barren 

 ground near Melbourne, have shown the 

 same amazing rapidity of growth as 

 those of the Eucalyptus Globulous, but 

 not BO easily satisfied with any soil. 

 Baron Von Mueller notes a fallen tree 

 of the Eucalyptus Amygdalina, which 

 measured 420 feet; one on the Black 

 Spur, near Ilealsville, of -180 feet in 

 hight; and another one of which the 

 length of stem from the base to the first 

 branch was 29.5 feet, girth of stem at 

 three feet from the surface 41 feet, di- 

 ameter of stem a first branch 4 feet, 

 length of stem from first branch to 

 where its top was bi'okeu off, 70; diame- 

 ter of stem where broken off, 3 feet. 



EDCALYPTUS SIDEKOXVLOX. 



(Iron bark tree.) — It attains a bight of 

 100 feet, and affords a valuable timber, 

 possessing great strength and hardness. 

 It is largely employed by wagon build- 

 ers, for wheels, poles, etc. ; and is also 

 used by turners, for rough work. It ia 

 considered the strongest wood in the 

 Colony, and is extensively used in un- 

 derground mining work. 



The Forests of the World. 



The forests of Europe are estsmated as 

 being .500,000,000 acres in e.\teut, or 

 about 20 per cent, of the whole area of 

 the continent. In North -Vmerica it is 

 reckoned that 1,400,000,000 acres are 

 covered with trees, of which 000.000,000 

 are in British North America. In South 

 America the forests occupy 700,000,000 

 acres. The total amount (or the two 

 continents of the New World and Europe 

 gives 6,000,000,000 geographical miles. 

 I'he proportion of forest laud to the 

 whole area of Europe, as above stated, 

 is computed at 20 per cent.: in America 

 21 per cent. Supposing, therefore, 20 

 p?r cent, to be the proportion in Asia, 

 Africa and Australia, the grand total of 

 the forests of the world would cover a 

 space of over 7,734,000,000 geographical 

 miles. The areas of State forests and 

 woodlands are estimated at the following 

 figures in the following European coun- 

 tries: Prussia, (),200,000 acres; Bavaria, 

 3,294.000 acres; France, 2.7t)0,000 acres; 

 .\ustria, 2,230,000 acres; Hanover, 900,- 

 000 acres; Wurtemburg, 409,007 acres; 

 Saxony, 394,000 acres; Enghind, 112,376 

 acres. 



The range in the height of trees varies 

 from the miniature alpine willows of a 

 few inches in height to the stupendous 

 Wellingtonia, which grows to the height 

 of 3.50 feet, although it is stated that one 

 of the eucalypti often reaches a height of 

 4-50 feet in Victoria. In Sclavonja, a 

 tree called the sapin attains a height of 

 275 feet, and the umbrella pines of Italy 

 200 feet. The California big tree is said 

 to girth 96 feet. 



■The destruction of woods and forests, 

 however, is very enormous, and in the 

 majority of instances no attempts are 

 being made for their reproduction. In 

 South Africa, we are told, countless 



numbers of beautiful forest trees are de- 

 stroyed and laid waste annually. In New 

 Zealand the 30 per cent, of forests exist- 

 ing in 1830 had sunk to 28 in 1867, and 

 to 18 in 1873, which rate of reduction, if 

 continued, would result in the total de- 

 struction of New Zealand forestsby 1889. 

 In America, in the United States espe- 

 cially, the consumption of timber is 

 enormous, and although public attention 

 has been called to the matter, and the 

 United States statute of March, 1875, 

 imposes a fine of $500 or a year's im- 

 prisonment for wanton injury or destruc- 

 tion of trees, and also a fine of $200 or 

 six month's imprisonment for allowing 

 cattle to injure trees "on national 

 grounds," the yearly consumption and 

 improvident use of timber is almost in- 

 credible. --/>/«</ 'Did IPu/er. 



THE PECAN. 



This is a variety of walnut, a native of 

 the warmer portions of the United 

 States, and flourishes in a natural cou- 

 tUtiou on the alluvial soils along creeks 

 and river bottoms. We have seen it 

 growing in Texas in forests, as the oak 

 grows in the Northern States, and have 

 gathered bushels of the nuts. They are 

 very rich — we think superior to any 

 walnut. The trees produce abundantly 

 and grow large. The timber Is excellent 

 for all purposes where ash and walnut 

 are used. It is not so tough as the hic- 

 ory, but is strong, elastic and servicea- 

 ble. The tree is a rapid grower, soon 

 attaining a size for use as timber. We 

 are of the opinion that this is the most 

 valuable nnt and timber tree combined, 

 that can be cultivated in California, and 

 we desire to see it become popular and 

 extensively cultivated, The following 

 we qnote from the I'rairU Furiuer, as it 

 contains the sort of information most 

 desirable : 



THE COMING TIMBEB TREE. 



For several years I was casting about 

 for a tree to plant (or timber, for fnel, 

 fencing, etc., upon the prairies; one 

 that should be hardy, easily transplant- 

 ed and of tolerably 'rapidj growth. I 

 watched with much interest experiments 

 made by other parties having the same 

 end in view, and felt equal disappoint- 

 ment with them at their ill success in 

 obtaining the object of their search, 

 namely, the best tree, all things consid- 

 ered, for the western prairie. 



The Cottonwood was hardy and of 

 rapid growth, but worthless as a timber 

 tree, and very inferior jas fuel. The lo- 

 cust would sprout from the root so as to 

 become a nuisance, and the borers ruin- 

 ed the groves. The gray willow did not 

 realize the anticipations formed of it, 

 even as a fencing material. The soft 

 maple w.as valuable for wind-breaks and 

 for fuel, but was not a timber tree. At 

 this point I thought of the pecan (Carya 

 oliff fonnvi) a species of hickory, a na- 

 tive of the niiuois and Mississippi val- 

 leys. I satisfied myself, by experiment 

 and investigation, of its value as a tim- 

 ber tree; wagon and carriage makers, 

 wherever they had used it, testifying o( 

 its value as being equal to the best of 

 white ash, (or all purposes o( buggy or 

 carriage mannfactnre; possessing equal 

 durability, and greater strength and elas- 

 ticity. .\t various points on the Missis- 

 sippi river, steamboat carpenters who 

 had used it, found it a valuable timber 

 in boat building. As a fnel it has no 

 superior. Bnt would it grow and thrive 

 on our prairies? 



To test this, in the fall of 1871 I dug 

 up in the bottom land, along the Illinois 

 river, a dozen or two young trees, heeled 

 them in my garden for the winter, and in 

 the spring removed them to my farm on 



