92 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[March, 
The Blue-Gum Tree. —{Eucalyptus globulus.) 
BY A U FRESCO. 
Almost every newspaper or journal, Amer¬ 
ican or foreign, that I pick up contains au 
article on the Eucalyptus or Blue-gum tree, 
lauding it to the skies for its powers of destroy¬ 
ing malaria and preventing 
fevers. The other day I no¬ 
ticed an editorial suggestion 
in a leading New York paper 
to the effect that the tree 
should be extensively planted 
in the marshy regions in the 
neighborhood of the city so 
that malarial diseases might 
he entirely eradicated. As 
your journal spreads its in¬ 
fluence over many lands, I 
have deemed it advisable to 
refer to this tree, in order to 
prevent disappointment. My 
experience is based upon a 
twelve years’ residence in the 
home of the Eucalyptus, anti¬ 
podean Australia. I am not 
prepared to give a definite 
opinion regarding the powers 
of this tree to annihilate the cause or causes 
of intermittent fevers; but think that the 
published statements regarding its sanitary 
powers should be received cum grano sails. 
To use' a horticultural expression, this tree 
Is “tender,” and will be seriously injured, if 
not entirely destroyed, by a cold ten degrees 
below freezing. When I left Australia, in 
1865,1 took with me some seed of this tree ; 
and in 1868 presented a portion of it to an en¬ 
thusiastic horticulturist of St. Augustine, Flor¬ 
ida. The seed vegetated, and during the course 
of the ensuing summer made a healthy and 
•vigorous growth. The succeeding winter at 
St. Augustine was marked 
for a low temperature, and 
the young wood of the 
orange trees was injured by 
the frost. I visited Florida 
in the July after the “ cold 
spell,” and upon inquiry 
found that the young Euca¬ 
lyptus trees had been de¬ 
stroyed. It is to be hoped 
that no one in northern lo¬ 
calities where intermittent 
fevers prevail will attempt 
the cultivation of this tree, 
for if they try the experi¬ 
ment they will shake twice 
instead of once—firstly from 
a chill and secondly from 
disappointment. Where the 
climate will admit of its 
cultivation (that is to say, 
where ice does not form 
over one-eighth of an inch 
in thickness) the tree is 
worthy of attention. When 
I speak of its value I do not 
base my estimate upon its 
worth as a sanitary agent, but refer to it as the 
most rapid-growing tree in existence, its desir¬ 
ability as a shade tree, its adaptability to almost 
any soil or situation, and its great value as a 
protector or wind-break in exposed situations. 
As an evidence of its rapidity of growth under 
favorable climatic conditions I will cite one 
caj'c; Afloat the year 1864 my friend Mr.Thos. 
Lam'gf St BaUaiitt; Australia, r'ealitoinfc a por- 
intelligent curator of the Botanic Garden of 
-Natal, South Africa, in which the writer re¬ 
ferred to the surprising growth made by the 
tree in that climate. He stated that he had 
measured a specimen that had been transplant¬ 
ed from a pot six years befoie, and that its 
hight was 67 feet, and the diameter of the 
SNOWFLAKE. 
trunk at one foot from the ground 17 inches. 
This specimen, grown in a warm, moist climate 
somewhat resembling that of the more favored 
portions of Florida, had made an annual 
growth of about eleven feet. 
If planted as a specimen tree, the gum is sym¬ 
metrical in its habit, branching from the 
ground, and assuming the form of a* cone. If 
planted as a wind-break or protecting belt, the 
young trees should be placed in three rows 
about five feet apart. So planted it forms 
slender stems which yield to the force of the 
wind and do not break. The wood is very 
durable, and it is contended that when used 
BROWNELL’S BEAUTY 
in ship-building it will last as long as teak. 
[We entirely indorse our correspondent’s 
views in regard to the Eucalyptus. The daily 
papers, with their usual disregard of accuracy 
in such matters, have made so much talk about 
the tree that already there are inquiries for 
seed, and probably some sharper may take ad¬ 
vantage of the excitement and oflfer to supply 
_ , T ,v if,-,’ .,* ■ . .. . tlje’de^nd. The tree"grows finely in. C<aUft)V- 
tiob bf a letter reefeiv'bd from Mr. MeNabb 1 , the J nia, but we have not heard of its success in 
any of the Atlantic States. It has been tried 
by skillful cultivators in Georgia and South 
Carolina, but with no better results than the 
trial in Florida quoted by our correspondent. 
It is singular that the influence of this tree to 
destroy malaria should not have been suspected 
in Australia; the story probably arose from the 
fact that a tincture of the 
leaves has been found useful 
in intermittent fevers.— Ed.] 
Two New Potatoes, 
Yes! two more new pota¬ 
toes ! And why not ? It would 
be strange if among the hun¬ 
dreds of seedlings that have 
been raised within the past 
few years there were not some 
few that possessed qualities 
that entitled them' to be gener¬ 
ally cultivated. There are at 
least two new ones offered 
this year that are worthy of 
notice, “Brownell’s Beauty” 
and “ Snowflake,” both of 
which are introduced by B. 
K. Bliss & Sous. “Brownell’s 
Beauty ” originated with a Vermont farmer,Mr. 
E. S. Brownell, who states that it was produced 
by crossing the white Peaehblow upon the Early 
Rose, and was first raised by him in 1870. It is 
properly called “ Beauty,” as it is, we think, the 
handsomest potato in appearance of any we 
have seen, it being remarkably fair and smooth 
and the skin of a fine reddish color. Great 
earliness is not claimed for this variety, it giving 
potatoes fit for the table about a week later 
than the Early Rose. We have not grown this 
variety, but have had two trials of it upon the 
table, and can testify to its excellent quality 
there. Mr. Brownell states that it has been 
healthy in both tuber and 
vine; that it is a good crop¬ 
per with but few small 
tubers; and that the pota¬ 
toes grow compactly in the 
hill. This variety was sent 
last spring to England, 
with other varieties, to Dr. 
Masters, editor of the 
Gardeners’ Chronicle, who 
sent specimens under num¬ 
bers to the potato trial at 
the gardens of the Roya! 
Horticultural Society at 
Chiswick. When the award 
was made last fall the 
number corresponding to 
Brownell’s Beauty received 
a first-class certificate. The 
Snowflake is of medium 
size, very uniform in shape, 
white with a russet tinge, 
and has very few eyes. 
The engraving will give an 
idea of the 6ize and form, 
and the writer of “ Notes 
from the Pines ” testifies to 
its quality on page 103. Among the newer 
kinds that have been especially successful in 
England as well as in this country, is that 
variety of the Early Rose called Thorburn’s 
Late Rose, which has been highly commended 
for both quality and yield. “ Excelsior ” is an 
American variety that has acquired a greater 
1'eputation abroad than it has hero, and the 
same may be said of "the Dlimax,' which stands 
veiljjr mgn in England, though little grown here. 
