EUCAL YPTUS. 31 



else. One of my most reliable correspondents in years 

 gone by has sent me seed marked Eucalyptus polyanthema, 

 which turned out to be Eucalyptus Gunnii, and packages 

 of Eucalyptus rostrata that in one case contained six dif- 

 erent species of Eucalyptus. Perhaps the hybridization 

 already alluded to is the real solution of our surprises. On 

 the other hand carefully collected seed by an experienced 

 man under my orders showed all the seedlings true to the 

 parent tree. This was our experience with a number of 

 species. 



The common substitute for the red gum and the species 

 most generally planted for it in California has been Euca- 

 lyptus viminalis, also a useful tree but not valuable like the 

 others for lumber. While this tree is radically different 

 from the red gum there is an extensive district in Aus- 

 tralia where the mature trees of these generally dissimilar 

 species are said to appear much alike. A person in such 

 a district shown a true red gum might easily mistake a 

 manna gum in another location for it. 



The utility of these two species is absolutely different, 

 therefore the mistake in confusing the manna with the red 

 is the more to be regretted. Every old plantation that I 

 have visited in California, except at Elwood, reputed as 

 red gum has turned out to be either viminalis or a tree 

 entirely different from either E. occidentalis. This lat- 

 ter is a very valuable timber tree and well suited to 

 California. I have recently made arrangements to identify 

 all the numerous Eucalyptus species now growing in Cali- 

 fornia, an undertaking made all the easier by the remark- 

 ably early flowering of most of the genus. It certainly is 

 a striking thing to observe these finally giant trees so 

 often flowering when no more than a bush. The utility of 



