128 SELECT PLANTS FOR INDUSTRIAL CULTURE 



ground. Attains exceptionally a height of 200 feet and a compara- 

 tively stout stem, but is mostly of a more spreading habit of growth 

 than the majority of its tall congeners. Mr. R G. Drysdale, of the 

 Riverina district, observed that an exceptional temperature of 

 125 F. in the shade did not shrivel the foliage of this tree ; it has 

 also withstood the severest heat in Algeria better than E. globulus; 

 and Dr. Bonavia found it to thrive well in the province of Oude in 

 places where E. globulus, E. obliqua and E. marginata perished 

 under the extreme vicissitudes of the clime. It does not bear cold 

 so well as E. amygdalina, perishing when still young at a tempera- 

 ture below 23 F., as observed in Italy by Prince Troubetzkoy. In 

 Mauritius and Reunion it resisted the hurricanes better than any 

 other Eucalypt ; in the latter island the Marquis de Chateauvieux 

 observed it to grow 65 feet in six years, and it is always found 

 more quickly growing than E. marginata, but less so than E. 

 globulus. It is recommended as an antiseptic tree for cemeteries in 

 tropical countries. The timber among that of Eucalypts is one of 

 the most highly esteemed in all Australia, being heavy, hard, 

 strong and extremely durable, either above or under ground or in 

 water. For these reasons it is highly prized for fence-posts, piles 

 and railway-sleepers ; for the latter purpose it will last at least a 

 dozen years, but if well selected much longer ; whenever practicable 

 the Government of Victoria has discarded the use of any other 

 timber for railways and bridges in favour of this tree. It is also 

 extensively employed by ship-builders for main-stem, stern-post, 

 inner-post, dead-wood, floor-timbers, futtocks, transoms, knighthead, 

 hawse-pieces, cant, stern, quarter and fashion timbers, bottom- 

 planks, breast-hooks and riders, windlass, bow-rails, etc. It should 

 be steamed before it is worked for planking. Also extensively 

 employed by wheelwrights, principally for felloes, and by builders 

 for posts and any other part of structures which come in contact 

 with the ground. Next to the Jarrah from West Australia this 

 is the best Eucalyptus wood for resisting the attacks of the crus- 

 taceous chelura and limnoria, the teredo mollusk and white ants, 

 and it has the advantage of being considerably stronger, proving 

 equal in this respect to American White Oak. According to my 

 experiments it is surpassed in resistance to transverse strain by E. 

 melliodora, E. polyanthema, and particularly E. siderophloia and 

 E. Leucoxylon, though stronger than that of many other congeners. 

 The kino of E. rostrata is far less soluble in cold water than that of 

 E. calophylla, and used as an important medicinal astringent. For 

 other details of the uses of this or other Victorian trees, refer to 

 the Reports of the Victorian Exhibitions of 1862 and 1867. 



Eucalyptus salmonophloia, F. v. Mueller. 



The Salmon-barked Gum-tree of South- West Australia, attaining a 

 height of 1 20 feet. The timber is good for fencing, while the 



