Naturalisation in Extra-Tropical Countries. 20o 



which, with E. citriodora, has thriven so particularly well in the 

 drier parts of Mauritius [C. van Keirsbilck] ; succeeded also well 

 at the city of Algiers [Bourlier]. Leaves perfectly dried yielded 

 12 per cent, of kino-tannic acid [Maiden]. 



Eucalyptus rostrata, Schlechtendal.* 



The Red Gumtree of Southern Australia and many river-flats in 

 the interior of the Australian continent, even through the tropics, 

 nearly always ' found on moist ground with a clayey subsoil, and 

 with most Eucalypts comparatively cattle- and sheep-proof. It will 

 thrive in ground periodically inundated for a considerable time, and 

 even in slightly saline places. Attains exceptionally a height of 

 200 feet with a comparatively slight stem, but is mostly of a more 

 spreading habit of growth than the majority of its tall congeners. 

 Prof. Tate measured a tree on Mount Lofty which showed a stem- 

 girth of 25 feet. 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 ; succeeds also well on the mountains of 

 Ceylon. Next to E. globulus the E. rostrata is the species most 

 extensively grown in California, much on the recommendation of the 

 author of this work. Its cultivation under varied circumstances is 

 much easier than that of E. marginata. Near Pretoria, in the 

 Transvaal, Mr. H. Schierholz raised over 120,000 plants from 2 Ibs. 

 of seeds. It does not bear cold so well as E. amygdalina, suc- 

 cumbing when still young at a temperature 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 of a more rapid growth than 

 E. marginata, but less so than E. globulus. It grew also with 

 remarkable rapidity in British Guiana [Jenman]. It is recom- 

 mended as an antiseptic tree for cemeteries in mild climes. May 

 be regarded as one of the " trees of the future " in regions free of 

 severe frosts. The timber is one of the most highly esteemed in all 

 Australia among that of Eucalypts, being heavy, hard, strong and 

 extremely durable, either above or under ground or in water. For 

 these reasons it is very much 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. Indeed Mr. Speight reports 

 that sleepers were found quite sound after being 24 years in use. It 

 is also extensively employed by ship-builders for main-stem, stern- 

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

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

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



