36 EUCALYPTS CULTIVATED IN THE UNITED STATES. 



luills of the colony as 59,500,000 superficial feet, a large part of which 

 is from Eucah'pt trees. Shipments are made to distant parts of the 

 globe, including" Africa and even England. 



The timber of different species of Eucal3^pts differs ver}- much in 

 character. While that of all species is hard wood, the degree of hard- 

 ness, the strength, durability, flexibility, color, and many other quali- 

 ties are quite different. Great differences exist also in the timber of 

 the same species grown in different soils and climates. To these varia- 

 tions is due, largely, the great ^'ariety of uses that the timber of these 

 trees serves. 



In America the Eucah^pts have not yet been grown long enough 

 nor extensively enough to have become a source of lumber. The 

 principal uses made of the timber thus far are for fuel, piles, posts, 

 and some of the parts of farming implements, and for pins for insu- 

 lators on long-distance transmission cables. The species used most 

 for piles in southern Australia does not thrive in the Southwest, but the 

 Blue Gum has been found to be a vevj durable substitute. (PL IV, a.) 

 The life of Redwood {Sequoia sempermrens) and of Oregon Pine {Pseudo- 

 Isuga taxifolia) piles is from four to seven years on the Pacific coast. 

 Blue Gum piles last twice as long. The piers at Santa Barbara and at 

 neighboring sea towns are maintained with piles of this Eucalypt. 

 Mr. Cooper informs the writer that he has sold from his groves nearly 

 $10,000 worth of piles during the past ten years. At Oceanside the 

 superior value of Eucalypt piles is reported to have been demonstrated 

 through the surreptitious acts of a contractor. Lacking a few piles 

 of the timber specified in the contract (Oregon Pine), he is said to have 

 obtained some Blue Gum timbers from the vicinity and to have ordered 

 the night crew to place them on the inside, where their presence would 

 not be detected. When it became necessary to repair the pier a few 

 years ago some sound piles were found among others nearly destroyed, 

 and upon examination the}^ proved to be the Blue Gum trees. The 

 demand for these piles is now greater than the existing groves of 

 Eucalypts can supply. It seems probable that piles may become one 

 of the important crops grown l)y farmers of the Southwest. As the 

 trees now planted become larger, and as planting becomes more exten- 

 sive, the Eucalypts will undoubtedly become sources of much timber 

 for a great variety of purposes. (PI. IV, b.) 



AS A SOURCE OF FUEL. 



In Australia the Eucalypts are an important source of fuel. There 

 the inhabitants find the tree, ready grown for use, and it matters little 

 to them how long they have taken to reach their present size. Hence 

 many species are used for this purpose. In America and other coun- 

 tries where the Eucalypts are grown as exotics the case is quite different. 

 Only a quick-growing species will yield an earl}" suppl}' of fuel, and 



