Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1904-01-01
THE EUCALYPTUS TREE.
A Durable. Quick-Growins. Hardwood Tree,
That is Thrustins Itself Upward.
BY LUE VERNO

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 cult
vation of gum trees, called the most
useful of all trees.
You may not have suspected that a
famine of wood was threatened, know.
ing that prices for it have not yet ad.
vanced and that there are tens of
thousands of square miles OF virgin
forest in the mountain regions OF the
West and the North.
But learned men Qorcsters and
publicists) have known it for years.
Estimating the millions of cords that
arc 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 we'll
known as eucalyptus, or the eucalypts.
They are hardwoods OF remarkably
rapid growth and peculiar qualities.
Great forests of the trees are being
planted on every continent and es-
pecially on the American continent.
This important step has been taken
largely as result of the work oil
learned men who have prophesied
that eucalypts are destined to play q
prominent part for all time to come
in the sylvan culture OF vast tracts ol
the GLOBE"
To this prediction eminent scientists
have added belief that for hardwood
supplies, for sanitary measures and
for benefcent climate changes many
OF the countries OF the earth would
have to rely on eucalypts during un.
countable periods.
In view OF this it is an interesting
fact that the eucalyptus has been
planted more extensively in the United
States than any other exoic forest
tree.
Among other important things
eucalypts are held by foresters to bs
unequatled as forest cover, Is wind
breaks, as shade trees, as Q source of
timber, fuel, oil and honey, aud as i'm.
provers OF climate.
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 or eight
years thereafter. The yield from each
cutting is commonly from ffty to
seventy-five cords Of four-foot wood
per acre.
One seventeen acre grove between
Los Angeles and Compton-which
had the pleasure to view-set in 1880
and cut for tho third time in June,
1900, produced 1860 cords, an aver.
age of eighty cords Of four-foot wood
per acre.
In California the leaves as we'll a
the wood are utilized for fuel purposes.
A Los Angeles company is making for
market bricks composed Of blue gum
leaves and twigs mixed with crude
oil, and the product is reported to be
an excellent fuel for domestic use.
The entire tree is thus utilized.
The phenomenally rapid growth oI
these trees has been demonstrated
in the groves Of Ellwood Cooper, near
Santa Barbara, CAL, where blue gums
planted twenty-five years ago, are as
large as oaks whose rings show them to
be 300 years old.
The uses made OF eucalyptus timber
are remarkably diverse. It enters
into the construction Of buildings,
ships, bridges. railroads, piers, tele-
graph lines, fences, paving. vehicles
agricultural implements, furniture
barrels and a great variety Of minor
articles.
The piers At Santa Barbara and at
neighboring sea towns are maintained
with piles OF the blue gum. Mr..
Cooper has sold from his grove nearly
$40, 900 worth of piles in the last eigh,
years. At one seaport the superior
value OF eucalypt piles is reported
to have been demonstrated through
the surreptitious acts OF = contractor
Lacking q few piles of the timber
specified in the contract-we will call
it Oregon pine, not Douglas fir-he i,
said to have obtained blue gum tim.
bers from the vicinity and TO have or.
dered the night crew to place them on
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 tho piles is now create,
than the groves Of eucalypts can sup
ply.
In Los Angeles we met man who
said that eucalyptus oil is regarded BY
some OF his friends as an excellent
remedy in consumption. Yet strange
- it may seem, and we saw most oil
the cure.alls ever dreamed of while so.
journing in the city OF "red devils, p