EtJCALVPTUS TREES. 27 



Propagation. — My plan of germinating the seeds 

 and transplanting to permanent sites is as follows : I 

 have found, from repeated experiments, that it is bet- 

 ter to germinate the seeds in boxes, a convenient size 

 for handling, say two and one half to three feet square 

 and six inches deep, placing first about four inches of 

 good sandy soil or loam ; then about one inch of pure 

 sand (I use sea sand), and cover the sand with sawdust 

 made from dry or well-seasoned wood, about one inch 

 deep. Plant the seeds in the sawdust half an inch deep 

 or more ; thoroughly wet the whole, and keep the top 

 moist. If the seeds are fresh and good they will sprout 

 and come through on the eighth day. I have found 

 no diflEiculty in sprouting them in the open air during 

 the months of August, September, and October. It 

 is, however, better to raise them under glass — the 

 greater the heat the better success ; but as soon as 

 fairly up, put out in the air and sunlight. In six to 

 eight weeks after the seeds are planted the trees will 

 be large enough for transplanting to permanent sites. 

 There is no time that they can be handled with equal 

 success as when about six weeks old, or four to six 

 inches high. The earth or place in which to be 

 planted should be well cultivated, the soil smooth and 

 free from clods, the trees set out just before rain, or 

 in the evenings with a little water, the ordinary care 

 required for setting out cabbage-plants will prove suc- 

 cessful with the little Blue Gum plants. It is, how- 

 ever, better to take advantage of approaching rains. 

 I have, with ten men, transplanted as many as seven 

 thousand in an afternoon, and have ninety-five per 

 cent. live. The above plan of transplanting is only 

 practicable during the rainy season. If the ground is 



