EDITORIAL 



251 



doing, and we have not the excuse of 

 poverty or ignorance, for we have the 

 example of other nations to guide us in 

 the w^ay f intelligent management. 



The Growing of Eucalyptus 



EUCALYPTUS growing in the south- 

 west has assumed such consider- 

 able commercial importance that it is 

 being exploited by numerous companies 

 interested in selling lands for the pur- 

 pose of growing trees. These enter- 

 prises when in reliable hands and under 

 good management will probably have 

 excellent prospects, and, as is always 

 the case when some new investment 

 field of this kind is being pushed to 

 the front, it is necessary to guard 

 against improper methods and incom- 

 petent management. The Department 

 of Agriculture has found it necessary 

 to issue a warning in regard to the mis- 

 quotation of some of its publications 

 dealing with eucalyptus. One of these 

 publications, Circular 97, of the Forest 

 Service, has been misrepresented as 

 saying that California would in a few 

 years be the only source of hardwood 

 supply in the United States. Such a 

 statement, the department says, "has 

 never been made in any of its Forest 

 Service publications, and is not con- 

 sidered a fact." The department state- 

 ment further says that its "experts be- 

 lieve that there is promise of consider- 

 able success in the cultivation of euca- 

 lyptus trees in many parts of California. 



but estimates of profits and of growth 

 have been attributed to the department 

 which are unauthorized. There are 

 many uncertainties connected with euca- 

 lyptus culture which the investor should 

 take into account." Naturally, the de- 

 partment objects to being 'misrepre- 

 sented and to having its name used in 

 advertising enterprises of which it has 

 no knowledge and the managers of 

 which are not conscientious in making 

 statements that will promote their 

 business. 



This whole question of eucalyptus 

 growing is one of great interest and 

 importance, and experts are now at 

 work upon it in the southwest and in 

 Florida to ascertain under what con- 

 ditions it can be successfully carried 

 on. Owing to the rapid growth of the 

 tree, its habit of growth, and the use- 

 fulness of its wood, it can be cultivated 

 when the conditions and climate and 

 soil are favorable so as to produce 

 commercial crops in a much shorter 

 time than other trees; but, like every 

 other plant product, there are limita- 

 tions which must be known and allowed 

 for if any particular enterprise is to 

 be commercially successful. Those who 

 intend to enter the field, or to invest in 

 any of the eucalyptus projects should, 

 therefore, inform themselves as to the 

 actual conditions and as to the manage- 

 ment, and not absorb too readily the 

 prospectuses of promoters. AMERICAN 

 FORESTRY will take up this subject in 

 forthcoming issues and will endeavor 

 to give its readers adequate and reliable 

 information in regard to it. 



