1902. 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION. 



119 



good in that line, except in draining the 

 soil, which certainly tends toward the 

 reduction of the mosquito pest. The 

 presence of trees of any kind prevents 

 the stagnation of water. 



Aleitn'les Diylucaini (Indian Walnut 

 or Candle Nut). This tree is common 

 throughout the tropics. It is a favorite 

 shade and street tree in many tropical 

 cities. It is very abundant in the Sand- 

 wich Islands. Its nuts produce large 

 quantities of oil, which is extensivel}^ 

 used as a drying oil for paints and var- 

 nishes. I have heard it said that fully 

 10,000 gallons are produced each year 

 in the Hawaiian Islands. The nuts, 

 when strung on a bamboo stick, burn 

 like a candle. The accompanying illus- 

 tration is by Mr. H. W. Henshaw, of 

 Hilo. The tree which yields such a 

 useful oil and which is so easily prop- 

 agated deserves to be much more ex- 

 tensiveh' planted. 



Scattered almost everywhere through- 

 out the tropical coast towns of the world 

 one sees Casuarina equisetifolia. 

 At Palm Beach, Miami, and 

 other Florida towns this tree 

 has been extensively planted 

 and is growing with magical 

 rapidity. It is sometimes called 

 the Toa Tree, and is also known 

 as Beefvvood. It is one of the 

 most valuable forest trees of the 

 world. It iseasil}^ propagated, 

 grows rapidly, and in places 

 where few other trees would 

 thrive. It is extensively used 

 in various parts of the world 

 for the fixation of littoral dunes 

 of sand. Plantations of this 

 tree on the Madras coast are 

 now beautiful and valuable for- 

 ests. By its vigorous growth 

 it has fixed the sands in a perma- 

 nent manner. Its pliant, droop- 

 ing limbs and foliage give with 

 the wind and are in consequence 

 uninjured by tropical gales. It 

 will grow on the beach close to 

 the salt water of the ocean. 

 The accompan3-ing illustiation 

 shows the hairy foliage and pe- 

 culiar habit of the tree. It is 

 said that it was called Casu- 

 arina because of the resem- 



blance of its leaves to the feathers of the 

 cassowary. It is of interest to note that 

 the tree really has no leaves, but that 

 the foliage consists of green thread-like, 

 feathery, jointed branclilets. There are 

 several large trees in Key West, and if it 

 continues in favor as at present it will 

 soon be one of the commonest trees of the 

 Florida coast. It is called also the She 

 Oak. (This tree should not be con- 

 founded with the Silk Oak of Australia. 

 Grevillea robusta. This is a tree of great 

 beauty, with orange-colored flowers in 

 racemes, and frond-like leaves, which 

 also grows well in Florida, but the wood 

 is not of extra quality. ) The She Oak 

 probably belongs somewhere in the order 

 Amentaceae, to which the oaks and wal- 

 nuts belong. 



Ciiiiiainomuin cainphora, the Camphor 

 Tree. This tree has often been recom- 

 mended for planting in our south. A 

 circular (No. 12) of the Division of 

 Botany, United States Department of 

 Agriculture, was printed on the subject 



C.A.MPHOR TREK, J!ANT.\ BARBARA, CAIJI'ORXIA. 



