82 EUCALYPTS CULTIVATED IN THE UNITED STATES. 



growth and gives promise of reaching ftilh' the size the trees do in 

 their native home. AVhen growing near together, or among other 

 trees, they are usually tall and straight, with even trunks, but when 

 growing scattered they branch more and are more stock3^ At Mr. 

 Cooper's ranch near Santa Barbara their rate of growth has been 

 about two-thirds that of the Blue Gum, the fastest-growing species. 

 (PI. XXV, B.) The bark is commonly smooth and grayish, frequently 

 flaking off in thin layers. 



The leaves of the 3'oung seedlings are broad, with very short stocks,' 

 but as the young tree increases in size the leaves that appear are more 

 scattered, longer stalked, and more slender. (See PI. LXXXVIII, c.) 

 The flowers are above medium size, in open clusters of 4 to 8 on slen- 

 der stalks. The deciduous covering of the full-grown flower bud is 

 long, round, and usuall}^ abruptly sharp-pointed, the specific name — 

 tei'etlcornk (the Latin for ''round-horned") — referring to this charac- 

 teristic shape. The seed cases are usually below medium size, and are 

 top-shaped or goblet-shaped, with prominent protruding valves. (PI. 

 LXXIX.) 



Climatic requirements. — The species thrives under quite a variety 

 of climatic conditions. It grows best near the coast, but endures the 

 dr}^ heat of the interior vallej^s. It will withstand minimum tempera- 

 tures of 15'^ to 20° F., and maximum temperatures of 110^ to 112^ F. 

 It also endures drought well. 



Uses. — The trees of this species furnish an excellent red-colored 

 timber that is ver}^ hard, heavy, and durable. It is used for general 

 building purposes, for ship building, for wheelwright work, for rail- 

 way ties, for telegraph poles, posts, fencing, and fuel, its characteris- 

 tics and uses being much the same as those of Eucalyptus rostrata. 

 B}^ some the timber is considered more durable than that of the latter. 

 Mr. Maiden reports a post of this timber that remained quite sound 

 for fifty-five years; according to the same author, Mr. Howitt, the 

 eminent authority on Victorian trees, places E. tereticornis at the head 

 of all commercial timber trees of that colony. 



Eucalyptus viminalis. 



Maxxa (tI.M. 



Characteristics. — Both in Australia and in the Southwest the indi- 

 viduals of this species make rapid growth, and commonly become trees 

 of large size. Baron von jVIueller states that they sometimes reach a 

 height of 300 feet and a trunk diameter of 15 to 30 feet. Those grow- 

 ing in the Southwest give promise of eventually attaining dimensions 

 approaching the above. It is exceeded in rate of growth by the Blue 

 Gum {EucalyjJtus (jlohulus) only. At Pasadena, Cal., an E. viminalis 



