THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[Feb. i, 1S95. 
THE EUCALYPTUS TREE IN SOUTHERN 
FRANCE. 
It is said that there are no less than 150 varieties 
to be found in the native home of the eucalyptus. 
Among the best and mo»t useful of the varieties 
which are known are the "colossus" or " giganticus," 
enormous trees, said to reach the height of from 
300 to 850 feet, with diameter proportionately 1-rge. 
Another most useful variety is the "resinefer," which 
furnishes, for medicinal purposes, the " kino," or 
" rhatany," a valuable astringent. The alpina, ros- 
trata, amygdalina, coriacea, globulus, gunni, piperita, 
and pohjanthemux are the best kno*n of the other 
varieties. Tho native home of these trees is Australia 
and the Indian Archipelago ; hut within the past 20 
years the remarkable properties aud qualities of the 
eucalyptus have attracted the attention of the world, 
and it is now to be found in largely increasing forests 
and plantations in the Ar-gentine Republic, Southern 
France, and Algiers. The eucalyptus feems destined 
to revolutionise sylviculture in the countries men- 
tioned, not only on account of the mauy remarkable 
properti-s of the tree — its resins, wood, and its rapid 
growth — but also its great p wer of absorbing enor- 
mous quantities of waer from wet and swampy lauds, 
dryinu them, and rendering them fit for cultivation, 
as well as its tend ncy to thus eliminate malarUl 
conditions from the land where it grows. The United 
States Consul at Nice says that the euoilyp us k'r ws 
with wonderful rapidity,' developing within three or 
four years into a large tree. One, within his imme- 
diate neighbourhood, planted less than four years 
ago as a small shoot about the size of a man's 
thumb, is mora than 30 feet high, after having been 
constantly kept trimmed down, and nearly one foot 
in diameter. Trees of g eat size in this part of 
France are said to be less ihan 20 years old. In 
Southern France the eucalyptus has b en planted 
with remarkable results, and is now fully appreciated 
for its various qualit es. In the Alpes Maritimes 
it seems especially to flou ish. The most remarkable 
species is the one found io Southern France, in the 
neighbourhood of Nice, Cannes, Toulo , Marseilles, 
ai.d various other localities, where there are now 
large plantations of these trees of great size, and 
where they prosper wonderfully, and grow with a 
rapidity which seems almost incredible, forest of 
large trees being the growth of seven or ei-'ht years. 
This species is known as the Eucalyptus globulus or 
"bluegum tree," or "fever tree." This u-ee is now 
completely naturalised in Algeriiand in the Riviera. 
A remarkable specimen of the eucalyptus is u ar the 
United States Consular Office on the Place Masse Ja. 
It is a tree of great size with enormous branches 
giving widespread shade., and having the appearance 
of great age, though in reality it is a ne a comer to 
Nice. It sheds a resinous aud pleasant frsgrance, 
indicative of its medicinal properties. So attached 
are the people of Nice to this tree, that when it was 
proposed to cut it down to enla r ge the street leading 
iuto the Quni Massena, there was a general protest 
against so doing, and upon a vote being taken by 
on 3 of the French newspapers there was an over- 
whelming majority against its removal. Tbis tree 
belongs to the Australian species called "colossus" 
or ''giganticus" and is said to be one of the largest 
on the coast of Southern France, To illustrate the 
firm hold which this tree and its health-giving pro- 
perties have upon the public mind in the department 
of the Alpes Maritimes, Consul Hall says thtt when 
these trees are trimmed in tha early spring in the 
Jardin Public, in the gardens of private villas and 
in the streets, the branches are eagerly Fough-, by 
all classes of peop'e, who hang them with their cones 
on the walls of their bedrooms, with the view of 
keeping eff fevers, and of getting rid of moths, mos- 
quitoes, and other insects. Many persons make 
rosaries of the burrs, and strings of beads, which 
they wear round their necks. The "globulus," or 
" bluegum tree " does not require much moisture ; 
in fact, it grows in dry soils, a' d in sandy or clayey 
soils, provided they are cool. It will grow only in 
hot huusea in the climate of Paris, end will not 
hear great cold. The amygdalina ia known as the 
" peppermint tree." It grows io a considerable height 
and is the only species which tears (he full winter 
climate in the northern part of Italy, and in the 
open air. The rostrata, or red gum tree has many 
qualities in common with the globulus, but it grows 
better than the latter iu wet and marshy lauds. 
The "gigant a," cr "giganticus," has a stringy bark. 
It was unknown in Europe before Ik.MJ, when Mr. 
Ramel sent some seeds to France which were sown 
in Algeria, and the Mediterranean regions. There 
are now forests and plantations of these trees in 
the various countries of Southern Europe, Afiica. 
<ftc. While this tree is strong an i hardy, it is not 
thought that it would nourish where the thermo- 
meter indicates a lower degree than freezing point. 
— Journal of the Society of Arts. 
EAST AFRICAN VANILLA. 
A new field of Vauil'a cultivation in German East 
Africa is reported in the Chemist and Druggist, as 
follows: — ' The first sample consignment of Vanilla 
cultivated iu Geiman East Afiica (Kitopeni planti- 
tio ). has recently b en received at Hamburg, aud was 
v. ry favourably commented upon, both in regard to 
natural quality at d to preparation. The pods, it is 
true, are not equal to the best Mauritius Vanilla, 
bit the ship in 1 1 was of thoroughly marketable qua- 
lity, toe pods being f.om (JJ to 10 inches in 1 ngth 
aud well crystallised. Thd great drought of the last 
season has been v ry injurious to the development 
of the lruit, but, shade tr es have now been planted 
aud irrigation works started, and it is expected that 
next year the output will be much in excess of the 
pre-eut. Th present season's crop, however, which 
umouuts to 1 b ju; 10,000 pods, is expected to cover 
the cojt of production. — Gardeners' Chronicle. 
Tea Planting an Mcriitius.— In a report 
on local "Exhibitions" during 1894, in the Port 
Louis '-Gazette," we rind the following which 
shews, among other things that tea has been 
planted to an appreciable extent in the Sugar 
Island : — 
The exhibition of tea was most encouraging, and 
iu this department, almost exclusively, was there an 
opportunity of comparing the product of another 
colony witu that of our own. Some fine samples of 
Liptons teas from Ceylon were curiosities in their 
way. The leaf from the Experimental farm improves 
in quality and preparation each year. Mr. Daruty 
received a prize for the product of his tea garden 
at Nouvellc France, and samples were shown from 
Chamarel where 200 acres are under cultivation, and 
looking very promising; the plantations of Mr. de 
Rochecouste. Dr. Bour, and others are coming on, 
and it is to be hoped that the cost of production 
will allow the competition of our teas, beyond the 
limits of this Colony. 
The show of Vanilla was excellent. In fibre there 
were some good samples of Alrjees, and a very long 
and strong staple, though somewhat coarse in tex- 
ture, should recommend the Abaca fibre, sent from 
"Combo," to Cordage makers. Perhaps in a year or 
two, we may hope for samples, on a large scale, of 
Sizal Hemp, from the Yucatan Aloees, of which the 
number of plants introduced some three years ago, 
should have thrown out sufficient shoots to admit 
of considerable extension in cultivation. We forget 
if any have been raised at the Pamplemousses Gar- 
dens ; but the Fibre trade having been depressed, 
we doubt whether the cultivation has been pushed 
on with the energy which has made the fortune of 
the Bahamas. 
Arrowroot, of very fine quality, but not represent- 
ing quantity for exportation ; Cassava, prepared from 
Manioc, (staple food of a large coloured population 
iu the West Indies and exhibited here, by way of 
a curiosity) ;— Yams ; and some good looking pota,. 
toes from "Midlands." *" 
