The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1904-02-05
WORLD SAVED BY A TREE.
Threatened Wood Famine May Be
Averted by Eucalyptus.

Threatened Wood Famine May Be
Averted by Eucalyptus.
The world, according to learned
scientists, is going to be saved from
an impending famine of wood.
swampy countries are to be made
healthful and deserts habitable, all BY
the cultivation of gum trees-calle6
the most useful of all trees.
You may not have suspected that 8
famine of wood was threatened.
knowing that prices for it have not
yet advanced. But learned men (for.
esters and puhlicists) have known it
for years. Estimating the millions OF
cords that are being burned annually,
they figure that it will not be many
generations till wood will be as scarce
everywhere as it is in parts of the
great prairies, where they have to
use young saplings two or three
inches through to build their homes
with.
The gum trees are equally well
known as eucalyptus, or the eucaly-
pus. They are hardwoods of remark
ably rapid growth and peculiar quail
tiles.
Great forests of these trees are
being planted on every continent.
This important step has been taken
largely as result of the work of
Baron Ferdinand Won Mueller, govern
ment botanist of Victoria, Australia,
who has prophesied that EUCALYPTUS
are destined to play a prominent part
for all time to come in the sylvan
culture of vast tracts of the globe"
When they are five to seven years
old groves of blue gum or mama gum
may be cut to the ground for fuel
and they may be cut every six of eight
years thereafter The yield from each
cutting is commonly from so to IS
cords per acre.
One 17-year grove between Los An
geles and Compton set in 1880 and cut
for the third time in June, 1900, pro-
cords per acre.
In California the leaves as we'll as
the wood are utilized for fuel pur.
poses. A Los Angeles company is
making for market bricks composed
of blue gum leaves and twigs mixed
with crued oil, and the product is re.
ported to be an excellent fuel for do
nestle use.
The phenofnenally. rapid growth of
these trees has been demonstrated in
the groves of Eliwood Cooper, near
Santa Barbara, Cal, where blue gums
planted 25 years ago are as large az
oaks whose rings show them to be 800
years old.
The uses made of eucalyptus timber
are remarkably diverse. 1t enters
into the construction Of buildings
ships, bridges, railroads, piers, tele
agricultural implements, furniture
barrels and great variety OF minor
articles.
The piers at Santa Barbara and a.
neighboring sea towns are maintained
with piles of the blue gum. Mr.. Coon
er has sold from his grove nearly $40,
600 worth of piles in the last ten
years.
AT one seaport the superior value
of eucalypt piles is reported to have
been demonstrated through the sur
reptitious acts of contractor. Lack
ing few piles of the timber specified
in the contract (Oregon pine) he i.
said to have obtained blue gum tim
bers from the vicinity and to have or
dered the night crew to place them OF
the inside, where their presence
would not be detected
When it became necessary to repair
the pier few years ago, sound piles
were found among others nearly de
stroyed, and upon examination they
proved to be blue gum trees The de
mand for the piles is now greater thar
the groves of eucalyptus can supply
Scientific American.