8 



ditions, are tall, straight, cylindrical, and of symmetrical form 

 and development, though species vary greatly in this respect. 

 Trees grown in the wind are apt to be very much twisted in 

 grain and gnarled in appearance. 



Some of the eucalypts are among the tallest trees in the world. 

 A variety of the peppermint gum or messmate (E. amygdalina 

 var. regnans F. v M., or E. regnans F. v M.) has been consid- 

 ered to be the tallest tree in the world, specimens 400 to 500 

 feet and more in height having been reported. More recent in- 

 vestigations have proved that many of the reports as to the 

 height of these trees are exaggerated. A tree reported by one 

 observer to be 525 feet, and by another as 464 feet in height, 

 was found to be barely 220 feet by actual measurement. A stand- 

 ing reward of 100 offered by the Premier of Victoria to any 

 one discovering a Victoria tree 400 feet or more in height has 

 as yet been left unclaimed. The highest tree authentically mea- 

 sured is 326 feet 1 inch. This height is exceeded by the Califor- 

 nia coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), which attains a 

 height of about 400 feet. The tallest redwood authentically 

 measured (by Sargent) was 340 feet high. The*greatest diam- 

 eter of any eucalypts authentically measured (E. regnans F. v 

 M.) was 17 feet 8 inches, measured six feet from the ground. 

 Mr. John Muir measured a California bigtree (Sequoia wash- 

 ingtoniana) which had a diameter of 35 feet 8 inches, measured 

 four feet from the ground. This is equivalent to a diameter of 

 at least 33 feet if measured six feet from the ground. Califor- 

 nia thus has the distinction of being the dome of both the tallest 

 and the largest trees in the world.* 



Root System. 



All the eucalypts have deep root systems to supply their de- 

 mand for plenty of soil moisture. The young trees have well- 

 developed taproots, which disappear, however, in most cases, as 

 the trees grow older. When grown on a shallow soil underlain 

 by an impenetrable layer of rock, the trees are liable to be stunt- 

 ed and scrubby. 



The roots of the eucalypts will spread to a great distance in 

 search of water, and roots 100 feet or more in length are fre- 

 quently found. It is this habit of root-spreading which has 

 given the tree a bad reputation with many, because it is claimed 



* See The Forest Flora of New South Wales, Vol. II, Part 8, Pages 

 159 to 165. By J. H. Maiden. 



