USES OF EUCALYPTS. 37 



hence the Blue Gum among the Eucah'pt.s has been most used for thi.s 

 purpose. (PI. V, a.) 



The Manna Gum {Eiicalyptus vii/tinalis), the species approaching 

 the Bkie Gum most closely in rapidity of growth, has also been cut 

 considerably for fuel. Other species making a slower growth produce 

 a harder wood and better fuel. For some years Mr. Cooper has been 

 cutting stove wood for the Santa Barbara market from his Red Gum 

 {E. rostrata) and Red Ironbark {E. sideroxylon) groves, and linds the 

 fuel from them superior to that from the Blue Gum. (PI. V, b.) 

 When other species become more generall}^ known, or when plantings 

 now made have reached a sufficient age, undoubtedly several species 

 will be found better adapted for fuel than the now much-used Blue 

 Gum. But at present that is the fuel tree of much of the State of 

 California. (PI. VI, a.) 



When set for fuel the young trees are conunonly planted either 

 8 by 8 or 6 by 10 feet apart. Rows 10 feet apart with trees 6 feet apart 

 in the rows give a few more trees to the acre, and leave more space 

 between the rows for driving with a wagon. Formerly some growers 

 planted closer — either 4 b}^ 1 or 4 b}" 8 feet — and cut out the trees as 

 the}^ increased in size, until they were left the distance apart they 

 desired them to be permanentl3\ But so much difficulty was experi- 

 enced in preventing the growth of the trees desired to be eliminated 

 that the practice has l)een almost entireh" abandoned. The young- 

 trees are commonl}^ cultivated for about two years after being set out. 



In California some of the l)est agricultural land is used for growing 

 Blue Gum wood for market, usually in groves of from 10 to 40 acres. 

 Not onh^ are these groves profitable, but they add much to a landscape 

 which without them was c^uite monotonous. Land unsuitable for til- 

 lage — hillsides, ravines, and rock}' plains — is also nuich utilized. In 

 such cases the return from the fuel produced is j)ractically a <1cmi 

 gain. In July, 1900, the writer's attention was attracted to a grove 

 of Eucalypts near Pasadena, Cal. Sul^sequently, in response to an 

 inquiry as to the age of the grove, Mr. 11. F. Shorting wn-ote as 

 follows: 



The Eucalyptus globulus grove is 12 years old, and is in the worst sort of soil, for 

 grapes, oranges, lemons, and barley have all failed. It is an old river bed. It was 

 cut one year ago, and they are far better looking trees now than they were before 

 being cut. (PI. VII, a.) 



There is undoubtedly much land in the Southwest now considered 

 too poor for growing any crop that might profitably be set to fuel- 

 producing groves of Eucalypts. 



When 5 to 7 years old, groves of Blue Gum or Manna Gum may be 

 cut to the ground for fuel, and they may be cut every six or eight 

 years thereafter. The yield from each cutting is commonly 50 to 75 

 cords of 4-foot wood per acre. One 17-acre grove between Los 



