430 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



VIEW OF A SECTION OF ONE-YEAR-OLD GROVE, SAN DIEGO, CAL., MUNICIPAL 



FOREST. 



city at the time California became a 

 State, when all of the old Pueblo of 

 San Diego was deeded to the city by 

 the National Government. Thus, San 

 Diego became the owner of practically 

 all the land within its limits, but the 

 greater portion was sold during the 

 early days until only the seven thousand 

 acres now in its possession remained. 

 The land is located ten miles north of 

 the city proper. For the most part it 

 is what is known as mesa land, lying 

 about three hundred feet above the sea. 

 It is rather rolling, and traversed at 

 intervals by deep canyons, running to 

 the sea. The virgin covering of this 

 section consists of the native grasses 

 and characteristic chaparral of Southern 

 California; the largest growth on the 

 mesa land being the Sumacs (Rhus 

 Laurina and Rhus Integrifolia). For 

 the most part the soil is of a sandy 

 nature varying in depth from two to 

 twelve feet. The mesa soil is underlain 

 with a sand hardpan which is not im- 

 pervious, and can be penetrated by 

 roots if sufficiently moistened. 



Being the possessor of such a tract, 

 the city had the land upon which to 



establish a forest, but before such a 

 thing became possible it was necessary 

 also that there should be a tree, which 

 was adapted to the soil, and climatic 

 conditions, and which was of com- 

 mercial value. In selecting a tree for 

 the creation of a forest there are three 

 main factors upon which the selection 

 of the species is determined. First : 

 The timber produced must be adapted 

 for general use. Second : The species 

 must be suited to the soil and climate 

 of the location selected. Third: The 

 tree must be the one which will come to 

 maturity in the shortest possible time. 



Southern California has in the Eu- 

 calyptus a tree which fills these re- 

 quirements completely. The Eucalyptus 

 is an acceptable substitute for almost 

 any of our American hardwoods. It is 

 adapted to the climate of Southern 

 California even better than to its native 

 land, and its rapid and thrifty growth 

 in this locality is unsurpassed by any 

 tree in the world. 



When the charter of the city of San 

 Diego was revised in 1908, the possi- 

 bility of the establishment of a success- 

 ful Municipal Forest upon the Pueblo 



