188 



THIRTY-FOURTH FRUIT-GROWERS ' CONVENTION. 



more or less in their local requirements, as they do in their individual 

 characteristics and merits as producers of timber, kino, oils, etc. 



The Eucalypti are fast growing trees. Eucalyptus globulus, or blue 

 gum, is said to be the fastest growing tree in the world. Now, how is it 

 that all or most of the hills in California are lying bare and idle and 

 treeless? It is only of late, since a great railroad corporation has shown 

 by its enterprise and faith in timber growing, that the public is waking 

 up and taking an interest in this vast and highlj^ profitable industry. 



One asks, ''How long have we to wait for returns?" Ask them the 

 same question when one takes a life insurance polic3\ It does not take 

 a wizflrd to point out the best of the two investments. If it pays to 

 grow pine forests, how much more does it pay to grow Eucalypti, requir- 

 ing only about one fourth of the time to mature to merchantable size, 

 and when cut it will grow up again two or threefold ? 



An acre, when planted to trees, certainly doubles in value the first 

 year. You need not pay one hundred dollars per acre for raw land to 

 grow trees on. You do not need to irrigate excepting far inland or 

 on high ground. Prepare the land by plowing; plant 8 by 5 or 7 by 6 

 feet apart; water each plant; this will be sufficient. Cultivate once or 

 twice the first and second years. The third year the trees should meet 

 and cover the ground completely and thus protect themselves; the 

 sooner you attain this result the better. Young plants being easily 

 and cheaply raised, it would be poor economy to plant sparingly. By 

 the time the grove or forest is five years old, cut out every other tree. 

 These will furnish posts, poles, barrel hoops, fuel, etc. After this 

 thinning 500 or 600 trees will be left to the acre. 



The varieties of Eucalypti differ as much in regard to extremes of 

 temperature as to their requirements of humidit3\ Eucalyptus rostrata 

 (red gum) is about the hardiest in this respect. It succeeds in tempera- 

 tures ranging from 10 degrees to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. It grows in 

 dry as well as low and swampy lands. Eucalyptus corynocalyx, or 

 sugar gum, one of the best, is more tender, and while young suffers if 

 temperature goes below 26 degrees. It likes high ground, and stands 

 drought. Eucalyptus resinifera, E. tereticornis, E. citriodora, E. 

 pilularis, are good growers, and furnish excellent, durable hard wood 

 for ship building, bridge and railway ties, poles, carpentering, floor- 

 ing, etc. 



The wood of Eucalyptus globulus, or blue gum, is not durable under 

 ground; checks and twists easily; is much used as fuel, and numerous 

 instances testify to a yearly return of $200 per acre. 



The ironbarks. Eucalyptus orebra, E. paniculata, and E. sideroxylon, 

 are not as fast growers as the above named, but their wood is the very 

 best and almost indestructible. 



The Eucalyptus also takes a front rank as an ornamental and decora- 

 tive tree. For larger parks here it really is the backbone of plantations. 

 The varieties greatly vary in size, many shadings of the bark and 

 foliage, and, finally, the gorgeousness of the brilliant flowers of some 

 of them, make it as great a favorite with the plant lover as with the 

 landscape gardener. 



It is a peculiarity with fine flowering kinds that they are mostly of 

 smaller growth, ranging from a bush to a small tree, thus making them 



