11 



was cut. In this case the red mahogany sprouts showed a more 

 rapid rate of growth than the blue gum. 



Trees of blue gum (E. globulus), swamp mahogany, (E. ro- 

 busta) and yate (E. cornuta), cut on Tantalus, near Honolulu, 

 early in December, showed numerous vigorous sprouts in the 

 following April. Red gum (E. rostrata), manna gum (E. vimi- 

 nalis) and other species of eucalypts in California are found to 

 sprout readily after cutting, and there is every reason to believe 

 that most of the other species will sprout equally well. 



It is this ability of the Eucalyptus to sprout which makes it 

 such a desirable tree for firewood, for as soon as one crop is cut 

 off a new growth of trees takes its place. A ratoon crop nor- 

 mally grows much faster than the original stand for a time, be- 

 cause no time is lost in establishing a root system, the sprouts 

 deriving their nourishment from the roots already in existence. 

 The number of successive crops that may be obtained from one 

 set of trees has never been determined. Groves where five or 

 six successive crops of trees have been cut may be found in Cali- 

 fornia; and in Hawaii, in a grove about half a mile from the 

 Makawao postoffice, on Maui, four or five successive crops of 

 blue gum have been cut without apparently injuring the repro- 

 ductive capacity of the trees. 



It is not to be presumed, however, that this process can be re- 

 peated indefinitely. Judging by all that we know of other trees, 

 sooner or later the vitality of the present root system will de- 

 cline until eventually sprouts will no longer be produced. Gen- 

 erally speaking, trees from sprouts do not reach dimensions 

 equal to those of seedlings. The time of the year when the trees 

 are cut seems to have a great influence on their sprouting ca- 

 pacity, and it is asserted that trees cut in the summer or late 

 spring will not ratoon readily. All who have had experience in 

 cutting the eucalypts in Hawaii are unanimous in opinion that 

 the rainy season from early November to about the middle of 

 March is the most favorable time for cutting the trees to obtain 

 a good sprout forest, though trees will ratoon if cut in other 

 seasons. 



ENEMIES. 



The eucalypts in Hawaii, so far as observed, are remarkably 

 free from insect and fungous enemies. In particularly dry loca- 

 tions and in unusual drought a Eucalyptus plantation may be in 

 danger from fire, since the dry leaves and twigs and the fallen 

 shreds of bark are quite inflammable. The danger from fire is 

 further increased by the rank growth of weeds found in the more 



