The herald., 1895-07-24
Various Kinds of Gum Trees
and PecuIiarities
EXPERIENCES OF AN EXPERT
The Conditions Under Which the Gums
Thrive Best
The Kinds Which Produce the Best Grades
Of Timber and How to Get the
Best Results

(The following is second letter re-
ceived by Abbot Kinney of this city,
than whom no man in Southern Califor-
MIA has made more careful and extended
researches regarding the eucalyptus. The
writer of the letter is conservator, of the
woods and forestry departm ent, South
Australia, and his letter Is made public
for the benefit of the people)
Woods and Forest Department,
Adelaide, South Australia.
July 8. 1884.
Dear Sir:-Taking up again the sub
jects referred to in yours of Decembe IA,
1893. on which promised to write you
more in detail as time permitted, l may
say that, with regard TO planting of the
various kinds of gums, the blue
gum of Tasmania Eucalyptus globulus)
was planted largely in this colony some
years ago, both by private persons and in
the plan nations of the forest department;
but though it gave general satisfaction
by its rapid and apparently promising
growth, it has been found that, unless on
rich strong soil. very retentive of moist
ure. it frequnety dries up ultimately or
remains com parativey stationary as to
growth, and when an extra dry summer
occurs, hundreds fell a complete prey to
the ravages of a large white CRU b. which
I bores through the wood in all directions;
while trees that are growing on a good
| stiff clay retaining moisture well, without
having it in excess and thus causing bad
drainage, will quite escape such attacks,
probably because, the supply of moisture
being adequate. the sap is in vigorous
state as compared with the more en-
| fsebled condition of the trees situated on
the poorer and.drier soils. 1t must, OF
course be remembered that it is out OF its
proper climate; Tasmania being much
more moist than South Australia, and
also the mountainous districts in VIC
toria, where, l believe, it is likewise
found IN natural state; and therefore
cannot be expected to succeed so well as
in it's natural haptat. For the reasons
gwen, it seems improbable that II VIII.
save in exceptional cases, develop. in
this colony, into as valuable a timber a
it is generally considered to be (accordin
to Baron Sir +. Won Mueller), where IL
grows naturally. 1t has therefore been
less planted than formerly, as. where the
land will carry a tree that viii to Ger
tainty produce valuable timber. it is
better to plant that kind Of tree than one
about which there is a doubt. 1t may.
however, be planted with considerable
advantage where quantity OF long
straight poles are wanted. say, for con-
poles can be grown forty. fifty and even
sixty feet, and are straight and even
enough to be used IN their whole length
on the roof of the shed as rafters. or wall
plates or ridge poles with very little
trimming, and will carry either thatch or
branches or galvanized iron and, being
dry and under cover, will last we'll. Trees
to grow sucn poles would be planted sxs
or 9x9. They also serve the purpose or
nurses" for other trees very well, as II
planted in between them alternately after
the others have got good start they
will often lead to better and straighter
development of the main crop tree by
excepting its head' up and preventing
undue growth of side limbs, and when
its function has been discharged the blue
gum nurse" can easily be cut out Tor
rails, rafters, etc., and leave the main
crop to mature.
The red gum (e. rostrata) is planted by
the forest department wherever the
ground is suiteu to its growth. but the
greater part of the land in the forest re;
serves in this colony is not well adapted
for it. and hence it can only be grown
| regretted as it is probably the most val
liable timber we possess IN South Aus
| tralia, at any rate. 1t transplants readily
and stands frost better than most gums,
| but certainly does not, on the avera ge
| give such promising show when grown
! in blocks on the plantation as other gums
do. but, on the other hand, the most po-
tent factor in regenerating our native for
| est land by seif-sown seedlings, which
spring up very readily in the creeks;
retentive subsoil seems indispensable for
this gum in particular for, on dry, loose
soils everything a porous limestone, or
any other non -retentive substratum, 1t is
seldom or never found. AS an instance,
| | might ask you for a moment to glance
at a map Of this colony, and look at
Yorks peninsula, long strip OF land
running south from the mainland, he
tween the gulf of St. Vincent to the east
and the gulf of Spencer to the west, on
| fissured limestone, and throughout its
whole length only about half dozen red
| gums are found, and these are around
small water hole that holds through
most ordinary summers.
The soils in which we, as rule, obtain
the best results in our planting, are, as
! to their chara Ger, composed first OF rev
inches of sandy loan, then of good clay
loan, underlaid by stiff red clay, which
retains moisture admirably, and will, IN
many cases, stick 10 a c:owbar. even IN
the heat of summer on our Adelaide
plains, when posthole is being dug. AS
regards situation | find hiily grounds the
best provided it is good, as the exceed
ingly important point OF good drainage IS
! generally secured by the natural fall OF the
| land without any cost; whereas, on the
fiat, there are frequently spots where the
drainage is imperfect and trees suf1er IN
consequence. The idea exists often. tnat,
in hot country like this. the question
| of drainage is of no moment, but TINS is
radical error, the effects Of which are
patent to practiced eye wherever it has
been neglected. But OF course, 1T is often
the case that the cost of draining is pro-
hibtory where the first tree planting IS
concerned, and then the tree planted
must either be of the kind best able to
live in swampy land, or the planting
must be given up. In the ploughlng OF
| hilly country where stiff stony ridges crop
up the two and three furrow stump Jump
pfows in use in this country are admir-