THE EUCALYPTUS, OR THE FEVER-TREE. 175 
ruary we gave to the party at the north end two ounces 
of blue-gum seed, with directions that it should be plant- 
ed near the house. It germinated finely, and produced 
thousands of young plants, but, unfortunately, most of 
them were killed by frost. About twelve hundred, how- 
ever, survived. These, when the heated term had com- 
menced, had attained an average height of about two 
feet, and emitted a strong aromatic or camphorous odor, 
perceptible at a distance of a hundred yards. In due 
time the party at the south end were visited by their 
usual mildly distressing fever, but, up to the present 
time (nearly the end of the fever season), we have looked 
in vain for the first symptoms to develop at the other 
end. They are all, to their own astonishment, in the 
most robust health. These trees now average more than 
three feet in height, and the atmosphere at their house 
is strongly impregnated with their odor. We have in- 
vestigated in vain for some other cause to which to attrib- 
ute the anomalous state of health of the inmates, and can 
find none but the reputed sanitary properties cf this tree.” 
But not only has the eucalyptus-tree become a favor- 
ite in California for its well-known medicinal properties, 
but it grows so fast and to such an enormous size that 
it is now being planted for wood. The enterprising Cal- 
ifornians have thought it worth while to form a com- 
pany for the purpose of raising eucalyptus. A gentle- 
man writing of the company said: 
“Two hundred acres of choice land have been secured 
within a mile or two of Los Angeles, on which eucalyp- 
tus, only four years and a half old from the seed, are 
now growing, which measure sixteen inches in circum- 
ference and twenty-two feet in height. It is estimated 
each of these trees is worth one dollar for fuel and more 
than that for manufacturing purposes. Foresters calcu- 
late that six hundred can be grown to the acre, and it 
requires no great calculation to show how profitable such 
a business may be made. The company organized in 
