208 PROCEEDINGS OF THIRTY-SIXTH FRUIT-GROWERS ' CONVENTION. 



sary preparations for an euealypt crop are careful planting and fre- 

 quent cultivation during the first two years essential. This is the 

 period during which the character of the crop is determined and every 

 one of these fundamentals must be shaped as though it were the deter- 

 mining factor. Neglect of any one will produce its corresponding 

 deficiency in the matured product. 



The age at which euealypt plantations become marketable is a subject 

 on which opinions differ greatly. It should be borne in mind that this 

 is a matter w T hich many factors will determine. In the first place by 

 age is meant financial age, that is the time in the life of a plantation 

 when, considering rate of growth, quality of product, distance to market 

 and rate of sprout growth together, it is determined with approximate 

 exactness that more money will be made by cutting than by holding 

 the trees. It is readily understandable that this is so. For, if at the 

 end of ten or twelve or fifteen years it is found by measurement that 

 the production of lumber is greater, quantity and quality considered 

 together, after deducting loss of suppressed trees than it would be by 

 the succeeding sprout growth then certainly the financial cutting time 

 is still ahead. Of course, this is reasoning without reference to the 

 bank account of the owner. It may very well happen that he will decide 

 to forego maximum yield for the sake of returns before the financial 

 cutting age is reached. In this connection it is debatable as to what 

 course should be followed. It would seem better business to borrow, 

 using the plantation as security, than to sacrifice too greatly. Likewise 

 the demands of the market are important in that they determine the 

 character of the product which will yield 'the highest financial returns. 

 Thus market demands have their influence on the financial cutting age. 

 Also is the location of the plantation as regards accessibility to market 

 a prominent factor. It will be readily seen that if the market demands 

 determine cordwood to be the most valuable product, the financial 

 cutting age might lie anywhere between the fifth and tenth year. But 

 if the tract is so located that the profits on cordwood will be devoured 

 by scarcity of labor, high wages or heavy transportation charges then 

 a cutting age for a more easily handled product must be selected. 

 These considerations demonstrate how impossible it is to say in advance 

 that the grove will be harvested when ten or twelve years of age. 



Many people noting the tremendous acreage being planted have 

 voiced the question, "Will not the industry be overdone? Granting 

 there is now a market for all that can be raised will not the yield a 

 dozen years hence be so great that the price will drop?" Circular 

 No. 116 of the Forest Service sheds considerable light on this phase of 

 the eucalyptus problem. Therein it is set forth that during the period 

 1899 to 1906 the hardwood lumber cut decreased 15.3 per cent, the 

 decrease taking place at a time when there was the strongest demand 

 ever known for every class of structural material ; when the output of 

 pig iron increased 15 per cent, that of cement 132.17 per cent and even 

 that of softwood lumber 15.6 per cent. That the decrease was due to 

 diminished supply rather than to lessened demand seems to be proved 

 beyond question for during the same period the wholesale price of 

 various classes of hardwood lumber advanced from 25 per cent to 65 

 per cent. Every kind of hardwood found in quantity sufficient to 

 make it useful has been put on the market and hardwood timber is now 



