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In Australia, the Eucalypts grow in a great variety of soils and 
climates, varying from deserts or dry mountainous regions to low 
swamps and moist mountainous ones. It would therefore seem possible 
to select species which would be suitable to a great variety of situa- 
tions. All the. larger arboreal forms delight in a warm climate but 
other conditions must also exist to enable them to become successfully 
established. 
Prof. Charles Naudiu in his memoir on the genus says: — “The 
first condition of success in the culture of Eucalypts is a climate 
appropriate to their nature; that is to say, for a great majority of the 
species, warm summers, a moderate amount of rain, a certain amount 
of atmospheric dryness , plenty of sunlight and very temperate winters.” 
I have placed in italics the portion of the quotation from- Prof. 
Naudin’s memoir which particularly applies to the Straits and 
Federated Malay States. It cannot be said that with an average 
annual rainfall of 96 inches we enjoy a moderate supply of rain, nor for 
the same reason can we lay claim to the certain amount of atmospheric 
dryness in our climate necessary to their successful culture. 
Most Eucalypts are benefited by occasional heavy rainfalls which 
thoroughly saturate the soil, as indeed most arboreal plants are, 
but frequent heavy rains and the subsequent very humid atmosphere 
are not conducive to their healthful growth. As has already been 
mentioned, a few of the species grow in swampy, humid regions, 
but the majority, though able to absorb large quantities of water by 
means of their roots, prefer for their aboveground parts a dry 
atmosphere, at least for a considerable portion of the year. 
In Australia, the Eucalypts are generally found forming large 
forests and indeed many of them do not form very desirable shade 
trees when planted for that purpose. 
As I shall endeavour to show, the raising of Eucalypts is 
attended with no little difficulty and in view of the fact 
that the soils and conditions our present roadside trees are subject to, 
would destroy any chance the Eucalypts might have (provided 
climatic conditions were suitable) it would seem that we must be 
content for the present at any rate, with the large and excellent 
variety of other trees that are available. 
It is generally believed that Eucalypts have a most benefiting 
influence on the climate of those regions in which they are planted 
to any large extent. There seems to be a great diversity of opinion 
on this point, however, as the following quotations will show. 
The American Consul at Florence, in 1894, writes in his Consular 
Reports, “It is this latter quality (the property of distributing a 
balsamic atmosphere) which has brought the Eucalyptus into such 
prominence in Italy, and has been the cause, not only of the planting 
of thousands of trees by private individuals and public corporations,, 
but of its receiving the indorsement of the Italian Government as 
well.” 
