Arizona weekly citizen., 1885-03-07
The Eucalyptus Tree,

oWrerIn southern Arizona the propriety of planting and cultivating eucalyptus trees. For many reasons this tree is particularly valuable to southern Ari- zona, where wood IS scarce and daily be- coming more so. The ease with which ]; Its propsgated, rapidity of it's growth, its madlcinal and anti-malarial characteris- ties render 1t especially desirable wheih- CT cultivated for shade or wood. The Mexican Financier urges its universal introduction and adoption into Mexico. and n discussing the various advan- tages that would accrue to the country cities tho results of practical demonstra. tion and in the following article ably sums up its various values which should oe carefully read and acted upon by every property owner in Pima county, for whatever be good for the dry and treeiess conditions of other countrie. is likewise good for Arizona.
 Its medicinal qualities are we'll known. IL has remarkable properties for the ore ventIOn Uf malaria where If is nlanted anu for this purpose It IS D .rticuIarIy valuable for regions where, aS in Mex. leo, land Is extensively cultivated under Irrigation. Its medicinal virines We're quickly discovered by the Indians soon HfieE its introduction iu Mexic,. th.y having always been quick to detect nat ural remedies. The Indians from ths country may often be een,trudging into the capital with their burdens, anu with euraly ptus leaves bound across their broTs. lt has great disiufectant yirturs and Is antlseptic for wounds. It yields an ess, ntiHl oil which makes a good medical stlmulant, taken internally, and the tannln Tn tine leaves forms a tome astr ngent Tor external application, rapidly healing wounds.
 The thicker the Eucalyptus Is planted the better It grows, ss the trees shade each other. When the tees grow close. they grow taller and straighrer. In Tasmania test was made of the value Of the Eucalyptus for war purposes. The cannon balls pierced the planks. cutting a round hole ard not splinteriog the wood. It was prCnOuuceI equal 10 the English oak. Mir Tr, ttisr, Fren, h naturalist, after examining thoroughly into the planting of the Eucalyptus m Algeria, where il Is grown very exten- slvely, making one of the most valuable additions tO the resources of that coun- try, estimated the prvfits on the planting Of H thousand stalks, and found Una, mn five years they would yield a gross re- venue of $40, and in 26 years, SlO6jO. His 'stlmate was based on the annual growth, from actual measurement. fl, inches ID circumference yearly. At HOmma and Cannes. near Algiers. the actual growth of young trees was Ig inches month. Near Santa Barbara, Caltornls, trte three ..yeaIs and one or two mouths from the see I, and which had been transpianted for two years and ten mcnths. measured i2 feet inches hIgh and 9l inches III clrcumfereuce
 NIT. Ellwo d Cooper, of Santa Barbara CalIfornIB, who has given much atten- tIon tO the subject, gives the follOwing advice for the llauiIng of the two most familiar, tue globulus and rastrata, or Blue and Red Gum trees, respectively. lt ls beet to germinAte the seeds in boxes 1T a cOuv, ni,nt size for handling, say : to 5 [, ct qquare and 6 inches deep. f or the il st species, there should be about i inches Cf good sandy suIl or loan, tLen lab ut one inch of pure sand covered with about one inch of sawdust from dry or well-seAsOned wood Plant the seeds ln tue sawdust about inch deep or more. thoroughly wet the whole, aud keep the top moist. If the seeds are ECoi and fresh they will sprJut and appear on the S'h day. It is better tO rdI-e them under glass, for the greater the heat the better the success. But as soon as they are fairly up they should be pnt out in the air and sun igh.. The best time to plant Is when they are about SIX weeks old and tu 6 inches high. The place where they are plautel should be well cultivated, the soil smooth and ire from clOds. Trans plant just before d ram, or m the even ilg with a h,tle water. IL Is best to take advantage of the approaC hing raius. When planted m the dry season they should be fist transplanted intn other boxes, allowing about three inches square of sOIl and SIX inches deep to each little tree, so thst the soil can be placed in the ground with 1t without exposing or disturbing the roots. Use ab ut one-balf bucket of water to each tree; pour the water into the hole and plant the tree as soon hs 1T disappears. With the Hssi-tancs of ten men, 7,0JOtree- have been set out in one afternoon. There are about 5000 seeds of the Eucalyptus glObulus to the pouud. or these 10000 will grow, or 2,5OO trees to the ounce
 For the Eucalyptus rostrsta, or Red Gum, there are a' least double the num- Der of seeds, or 5000 to the ounce. To germiuate, follow a plan similar to the preceding, but use not over half the quantity of sawdust and no sand. Plant the seeds nearer the surface. More heat IS necessary than for the globulus.
 In forest planting set the trees 6 to feet apart in rows so that they may be cultivated with horse or mule while the trees are small. Plant ng 6 feet by will give l,OOO trees to the acre. After i've years growth three-fourths of the trees should be cut on, leaving about go of the straightest and best trees to the acre. The following IS an estimate of the worth of these three-fourths thInned out. according tH values and conditions m Southern Cslii5rnos:
 The yIeld would be:
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