22 



EUCALYPTS IX FLORIDA. 



tugal, Italy, and Spain and in the southwestern United States have 

 shown that it can endure frosts of 23°. 21.2°, and 19.4° F., without 

 danger, when they come singly, but not when they come near to- 

 gether or last long. 



It will grow on a great variety of soils — clayey, chalky, stony, 

 limestone, granite, sandy, dry. fresh, or moist. It does well on ex- 

 posed situations, because the branches are not easily broken. One 

 situation which it can not stand, however, is a swamp with stagnant 

 water. It grows most rapidly, of course, on fertile soils, light and 

 moist, but it adapts itself very well to poor soils, and even to arid 

 soils. In Australia it is most abundant on hard, close-packed hil- 

 locks, on gravel, and on sandy beaches. In Chile, where this species 

 has been grown with great success, it made the following growth on 

 moderately good and well-watered soils: 



Table 11. — Eucalyptus resinifera in Chile. 



Age. 



Height. 



Diameter. 



Years. 



5 



10 



15 



20 



Feet. 

 23- 33 

 56- 66 

 98-115 

 115-125 



Inches. 



3. 1- 3. 



7. 8- 9. 8 



17. 5-19. 5 



25. 4-27. 3 



EUCALYPTUS ROBUSTA SMITH ( SWAMP MAHOGAXY). 



The swamp mahogany was found in more places than any other 

 species except Eucalyptus rostrata,. From St. Augustine to Miami 

 and from Eustis to Estero it has been planted as a shade tree, for 

 which purpose its pleasing, symmetrical form, spreading habit, and 

 large, showy flowers make it exceptionally suitable. 



At St. Augustine, Eustis, and Daytona these trees have been killed 

 back by frost at temperatures of 23° and lower, but, as is usual with 

 most species of this genus, even if frozen down to the ground it 

 recovers and sends up sprouts which make rapid growth. The 

 swamp mahogany must, however, be classed with species very sensi- 

 tive to frost, and can be safely planted only where the temperature 

 never falls below 25° or 24° F. The largest tree measured was at 

 Punta Gorda, where a specimen 24.3 inches in diameter and 55 feet 

 in height was said to be 15 years old. At Fort Myers, especially 

 during the first years, this species showed a remarkably rapid growth, 

 and in some cases it amounted to from 10 to 14.5 feet a year. A num- 

 ber of the trees, scarcely 3 years old. bore flowers in profusion. Far- 

 ther north, where the climatic conditions were less favorable to it, 

 the trees often did not grow more than 2 feet a year. 



