EUCALYPTUS 



THERE are about one hundred and forty species of Eu- 

 calyptus in the world, nearly all indigenous to Australia, 

 and none to this country. Efforts have been made to in- 

 troduce some of the species here, but they have been unsuc- 

 cessful, except in Arizona and southern California, where 

 they grow well. Speculative efforts are being put forth to 

 extend their cultivation elsewhere, but there is no proba- 

 bility of success, unless it may be in southern Florida or 

 along the Gulf in southeastern Texas. Any one attempting 

 to grow the tree outside of the regions named will un- 

 doubtedly experience a disastrous failure. Difficulties are 

 experienced even in southern California. The tree must 

 have a warm, moist climate and abundant water for its 

 roots. To insure success in California the young trees must, 

 in most cases, be irrigated until the roots penetrate the soil 

 deep enough to obtain the needed water. It is an ever- 

 green, but broadleaved, and requires water the year round, 

 especially when grown in groves. The general appearance 

 is something like that of the Lombardy Poplar, tall, 

 with compact, slim crown ; and it presents anything but a 

 tidy appearance when shedding its leaves and dead bark. 



In favored locations it is a very rapid grower, none 

 more so, and it grows from sprouts and seeds. It is not 

 unusual for a seedling to grow ten or twelve feet in height 

 the first year, and sprouts from a stump will exceed that. 

 The author started one from seed in the greenhouse in 

 April, set it out in the open in early June, and when the 

 frost killed it in early October it was twelve feet high and 

 one and one half inches in diameter at the butt. Planta- 

 tions in Lower California can be relied on to be fit to cut 

 for fuel at the age of five or six years from planting, when 

 the stems will be from six to seven, or maybe eight inches 



