26 



EUCALYPTS IN FLORIDA. 



Beach. While it is too young here to draw any conclusions, yet it 

 has withstood the long inundation to which it was subjected soon 

 after planting and is now from 3 to 4 feet high and in vigorous con- 

 dition. ^ 



The only other locality where this tree was found was at the Kore- 

 shan community, at Estero, where trees of this species 5 years old are 

 growing on very poor, sandy soil with the underlying rock close to 

 the surface. They have averaged 1.8 inches in diameter growth per 

 annum. Three trees measured give the following results : 



Table 14. — Eucalyptus rudis in Florida. 



Age. 



Height. 



Diameter 



breast- 

 high. 



Average annual 

 growth. 



Height. 



Diameter 

 breast- 

 high. 



Years. 







5 

 5 



Feet. 



42 

 40 

 38 



Inches. 

 8.7 

 9.3 

 8.6 



Feet. 



8.4 

 8.0 

 7.6 



Inches. 

 1.7 

 1.9 

 1.7 



Here the temperature seldom, if ever, falls as low as 24° F., and 

 they have never been injured. However, the fact that in the South- 

 west it has been one of the most resistant when exposed to great 

 variations of heat and cold, from a maximum of 110° to 118° to a 

 minimum of 15° to 18° F., shows that the planting range in Florida 

 may be safely extended farther north. 



It may be planted on low, wet lands, which are subject to inunda- 

 tion, as far north as Eustis and throughout the whole southern part 

 of the State. In Australia it makes its best growth on low flats 

 around swamps and along the banks of streams. It is not a very 

 tall tree, seldom exceeding 80 feet in height, and is apt to be irregu- 

 lar and sometimes even drooping in form. 



EUCALYPTUS SALIGNA SMITH (NEW SOUTH WALES BLUE GUM) . 



Only two specimens were identified as Eucalyptus saligna. One 

 of these was a tree 23.4 inches in diameter and 73 feet in height, 

 said to be about 25 years old. It was growing at Fruitville on yellow 

 sand such as is frequently chosen for orange groves, and there was an 

 impermeable stratum some 12 feet from the surface. This tree had 

 withstood temperatures of 22° F., and had never been seriously 

 injured. 



