46 STATE BOARD OF FORESTRY. 



Gum piling was first used in the wharf at Santa Barbara. Its use 

 in some other wharves was accidental, but since its successful trial it 

 has been used in the wharves at Crescent City, Oakland, Port Harford. 

 Gaviota, Santa Barbara, Serena, Summerland, Avalon, Oceanside and 

 San Diego. On account of its superior service it is used in the wharf 

 at Crescent City despite the local supply of redwood timber. 



Dimension Material. No valuable hardwood timber is native to Cali- 

 fornia or the Pacific coast. Demands for it have been supplied by 

 importation from Eastern centers of production at high prices and high 

 freight rates. Eucalyptus has been widely used for saw-timber in 

 Australia, but in California its commonness has prejudiced users against 

 it. Added to this is the fact that very little dimension material has 

 been produced, practically all the plantations having been cut for fuel. 

 At present it can hardly be found in the market. 



Pioneer manufacturers, operating planing mills in San Francisco. 

 Los Angeles and San Jose, have persevered for twenty years in utilizing 

 it as ordinary hardwood stock. Difficulty has been encountered in the 

 introduction of a new material, however, so their business has remained 

 small. They have overcome local prejudice to some extent by guaran- 

 teeing their product. Severe and extended trial has proven that it 

 possesses superior qualities of strength, hardness and flexibility. Sea- 

 soned blue gum timber has been substituted in San Francisco for orders 

 of maple, hickory, and "ironwood" without the knowledge but to the 

 entire satisfaction of the purchaser. 



No fixed stumpage price for Eucalyptus timber prevails. It is bought 

 either by the single tree or at the market price of cordwood. Large 

 trees which contain 4 to 6 cords, or will cut 1,500 to 3,000 feet B. M.. 

 are bought for from $12 to $25 per tree. The total cost of stumpage, 

 logging, manufacturing and seasoning is about $20, hence it is apparent 

 that manufacturers can readily undersell Eastern hardwoods. Gum 

 timber has been sold at from $100 to $125 per M, and retails for 12 ! - 

 cents per foot for finished and 10 cents for rough timber. 



QUALITIES OF EUCALYPTUS WOOD. 



The timber eucalypts furnish a hardwood possessing qualities similar 

 to those of Eastern hickory and ash. The wood of different species 

 differs in strength and durability, but in general the timber is very 

 strong, heavy and hard, with a close-grain and homogeneous structure. 



The specific gravity of the wood of most species is greater than that 

 of water, the dry wood of blue gum averaging over 60 pounds per 

 cubic foot, varying from 50 to 70 pounds, according to the age of the 

 timber. The wood of other species is still heavier. It is very tough, 

 resisting indentation, tension or torsion. This is of advantage, for it 



