42 STATE BOARD OF FORESTRY. 



do not burn as well as if split. Splitting must not be delayed after 

 cutting, as the wood becomes very hard upon drying. Wood of sugar 

 and red gum is quite straight-grained and splits without difficulty. 

 Blue gum wood, particularly the sap-wood of old, open-grown trees, is 

 very tough and cross-grained. The interlocked fibres must be chopped 

 through in splitting and seasoned blocks defy all attempts to split them 

 with an ax. 



A small industry has grown up in Southern California through the 

 cutting of blue gum groves for fuel. Traveling cutting concerns under- 

 take the cutting of groves by contract, employing gangs of choppers 

 and operating portable sawing and splitting machines in working up 

 the product. The cost of cutting varies with the cost of labor from $2 

 to $3 per cord, and a margin of from $3 to $8 profit is left the owner, 

 according to the advantage with which the wood is sold and its nearness 

 to market. 



Green wood should be piled for seasoning away from contact with 

 the ground. The wood decays rapidly in contact with the soil and 

 soon loses its fuel value. 



A superior grade of charcoal can be made from gum wood. Where 

 old groves are rooted up after repeated cuttings, the massive stumps 

 are frequently burned for charcoal, and cordwood has likewise been 

 used to some extent for this purpose. 



Posts. A supply of strong, durable fence posts is one of the greatest 

 needs of the California rancher. At present, dependence, is placed in 

 redwood and to a limited extent in local plantations of black locust. 

 The hardness and strength of Eucalyptus wood would justify its use 

 for posts if it were more durable in contact with the soil. Certain 

 species, notably sugar and red gum, are of average durability. 



Round blue gum posts from sapling groves have been used to some 

 extent, but without satisfactory results. Split or sawn posts of more 

 mature timber would doubtless last much longer, but these have not 

 been widely used owing to the difficulty of splitting the wood. It is 

 apparent that Eucalyptus has fallen into disrepute for post purposes 

 without receiving a thorough trial. 



Experiments in seasoning and treating Eucalyptus to determine its 

 durability under better treatment have been undertaken recently by 

 the Forest Service in cooperation with the State of California. Thou- 

 sands of posts, of the size ordinarily used, were cut from young sprout 

 plantations. Some were set green and unpeeled, others peeled and 

 seasoned. Still other posts, green, seasoned, peeled, and unpealed were 

 impregnated with hot creosote for different lengths of time in small 

 portable tanks. They were then given distinguishing marks and set in 

 fence lines in soils of different kinds. 



