Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-05-27
The Eucalyptus Plantations of Algeria.

A correspondent writes to the PtY Null
GuzeHc as follows: The Eucalyptus, Il tree
of the mvrtle family, was introduced from
Austral Il into Algeria about eleven years
ago, and hourished surprisingly. 1t was
not, however, until within the last seven
years that any extensive plantations We're
made \ few days since we made an eN-
cursion to visit those on the estates of NJ.
Trottier. Nj. Ramel and NJ Cordier
On NJ. Trottier's estate at Hussein Dey
we walked under tail trees the Eucalyptus
globulus (blue gum trees), on an average
fifty feet high, which seven Years ago were
planted with seeds not so big as mustard
seed; this particular plantation was on
bad soil, and had not had very experienced
care, vet the growth of the trees was mar
velOus. In this evergreen wood al
round us were tall reddish smooth stems
with the bark hanging down in a ragged
untidv manner, for the tree sheds its bark
in winter, and grey willow-like leaves
were waving on flexible bOughs. FOI
about twenty-five feet the stems of the
trees in the inner part of the plantation
rose up with no branches at all, but on the
skirts of the wood the trees sent out branch
es in the LIGHT and air nearly to the ground.
Ii produced a curious impression to walk
in the dim twilight of this Australian-Af
rican forest, and to think that this was al
so a wood of the miOcene period. Beautl-
ful is not the word | should apply to its
appearance, but, in exchange for bare sun
baked earth or deadly swamps, | must say
these Eucalyptic forests are most grateful
and the smell delightfully."- resinous, warm
and gummv. The multitude of birds in
the branches and their busy twitterings
added much to the pleasant impression
| measured these trees as L walked along
and found them from forty to forty-tivt
inches in circumference, those on the Dor
ders of the wood always, of course, a few
inches larger.
Many village communities in the plair
have planted scores of gum trees In this
neiohborhood. and feel the benefit, but a
present there is certainly an exaggerated
manner of speaking of the Eucalyptus
1t is praised as II scent, as cigars, as &
medicine. as Il tonic, as throat lozenge
and. above all, as IL bath Branches anC
leaves are put into hot water, and L an
assured bv those who have tried it, tina
such baths remove rheumatic pains, neu-
ralgia and the debility left by the malari;
incidental to the country. The flower o
the Eucalyptus tribe is very like the nlyr
tie flower; it is very full of honey, and at
tracts multitude Of flies and bees, ant
the birds naturally follow, for they fine
not only food, but thick, warm, leafy cove
in winter. and shelter from the burning
sun in summer. Some species of Euca
lyptus have large and very beautiful flow
erS.
Finally, our opinion is that the Eucalyp
tus tree may prove the most powerful ele
ment of civilization as yet put in force OF
the coast of north Africa; that in yer.
few years it will be self-sowing, and thu
take its place as naturalized subject
there is very little reason to doubt. Thi
year the seed ripens plentifully on til
seven-years-old trees. Thus in "A few year
we may see the one thing most longed 70
on the Barbary coast-that is. shade fror
| the fierce sun.