, 1874-09-16

The following is from the 81. Lucia o.
SerUer :
The EUCALYPTUS GLoBULUs.-This 'Dia-
mond of the Forest as it has been aptly
called, is without doubt one of the most mar
vellous productions OF the vegetable
kingdom. 9 y y What is still more wonder.
full than its sanitary properties and quickness
of growth, is that, in spite of its rapid growth,
it furnishes timber capable of resisting, as
we'll as any other, the effects of water, air and
insects. The whaling-ships built at Hobart
Town are constructed of this wood and re-
nowned for their solidity. India, which
possesses teak, imports Eucalyptus timber
from Australia, and especially from Tasmania,
for ship-building and for making railway
sieepers. The wharves, %jetties and other
similar constructions on the Australian coast
are all built of the same timber. AS furni-
ture wood, the Eucalyptus has also its value.
At the last international Exhibition held in
London, beautiful samples of this wood in a
high state of polish we're shown in he Austria
liam and Tasmanian Courts, attracting much
attention, - The seed was brought to
Europe by Mr.. Paul Ramel in 1854. In 1860
Eucalypti were sown in Algeria by Mr.. Hardy,
Director of the Botanical Gardens, and in
Corsica by DIR. Carlotti. The tree has been
grown in Spain and Italy, and is cultivated
in Jamaica, has been lately introduced into
Martinique, and fourishes in Cuba, 1t has
everywhere given the results looked for. The
Eucalyptus IS eminently suited to our soil
and climate. 1t is wanted here not only
on account of its commercial value, but still
more as a sanitary agent. And what has
been hitherto but useless. Improbable and
poisonous ~quagmire could, in less than Five
YEARS, be converted into verdant meadow.
." We urge no novelty on the consideration
of our energetic Administrator, for we have
been assured that his thoughts on the subject
of this. valuable tree have been promptly follow
cd up by action y . Too much publicity can
not be given to the virtues Of q plant which
has been described as the most valuable dis
covery for our climates since that of Peruvian
Bark We are indeed inclined to give it the
hrst place, on the principle that prevention
IS better than cure"
On the same subject the Tl3uidad Chronic
de has the following
The Kew Report for 1878 throws a sad dampor
on the hopes raised by this tree-dS regards the
tropics. DIR. Hooker doubts iE acclimability 1Uihin
The tropics but we trust means viii b. found to
inure the tree to tropical climates, as recently sue
cceded in by Mr.. Prestoe -" Seeds Of Eucalyptus
~globuIuS have been distributed, on demand, to all
parts of the world, and especially West Africa, under
the prevalent belief that plantations of this tree will
dry the soil of swampy districts and suppress mala-
ria it is also a WldeIy.spread idea that its foliage is a
powerful f~ebrifuge. But I have failed to discover
that these reputed virtues have any certain founda.
ton. This Eucalyptus is a native Of a dry and cool
climate Tasmania and Victoria), and all attempts
to cultivate it in the various damp tropical regions
to which it has been sent from Kew have proved
failures. In temperate and various subtrOpical
climates It is admirably adapted to clothe interested
ground