The San Francisco call., 1909-02-20
GOLDEN PROFIT IN
THE EUCALYPTUS
Tree FIOurishes in California
and Will Rapidly Replenish
Denuded Forests

The story of eucalyptus is the mod
ern story of Jack and his beanstalk
Only a beanstalk which could attain
a great height in a night could meet
Jacks requirements; only a hardwood
tree which can attain maturity in a
decade can meet the requirements of
the shortsighted American who has
sacrificed his groves of oak and wal
nut and hickory. The eucalyptus tree
in the modern story is a much more
substantial thing than the beanstalk in
the fable, and its growth is no less
sure. Eucalyptus will save the timber
situation in the United States, not
wholly perhaps. but appreciably. And
since California is the only state in
the union having the climatic condi-
tions absolutely essential to the grow
ing Of this wonderful tree it is plain
that the profits will be reaped in Cali
fornia-
WEALTH IN EUCALYPTUS
In fact. a brief study of the eucalyp-
tus bulletins which have been issued
by the forestry bureau of the United
States department of agriculture and
the experiment station of the Univer-
reader
with the fact that the discovery of the
possibilities of eucalyptus culture in
California is of more Importance even.
10 the future wealth of the state than
was the discovery of gold. Unesti-
mated millions of dollars will be made
from eucalyptus groves and the re-
wards, unlike the rewards in mining.
VIII be evenly distributed Every man
VINO grows eucalyptus trees with any
degree Of intelligence and care is as
sured of his profits.
Exactly what the profits will be de-
pends, naturally, upon the rapiditv
with which the grove comes to ma
turity Though hundreds of eucalyp-
tus groves of varying size are now
growing in California, these have, as a
rule, been planted upon land which
was or little value for any other pur-
pose. Yet on this waste land" the de-
Velopment of the trees has been more
than astonishing. The trees duplicate
Iully their performance in their native
australia The Californian now learns
that he can afford to devote his very
best land to eucalyptus, and the re-
SUITS VIII be proportionately greater
authoritative facts and figures con-
cerning rate of growth are at hand.
RAPID GROWTH OF TREES
In its first year the slender shoot
VIII sometimes grow six inches in a
single day. There is large grove in
san joaquin county whose trees. now
four years old, have an average height
OF % feet and an average diameter of
. lnches. This is a height growth Of
- rect year. The average is a little
less. being from II to Is feet a year.
one seeding at the age of wears
was l25 feet in height and SO inches
IN diameter. This tree grew in sandy
ioan Where there was subirrigation-
ideal growing conditions.
At from three to five wears of oga
eucalyptus trees make excellent fuel
though they are rapidly becoming too
valuable 10 sacrifice in this way At
from seven 10 nine years of age the
wood OF the trees is good for wagon
tongues, insulator pins and other ronpb
usages- Al from nine to twelve years
the WOOD is superb for all hardwood
purposes. and its durability and poIfsb
equal that of any hardwood grown in
America After 10 years of age II is
often profitable to allow the trees to
stand, because their value increases
year by year. There are some con
spciuous examples of valuable ma
tured groves in California. Harrison
Mechan owns grove of trees % years
old at Stony Point, which is valued at
$4,000 an acre.
GREAT WEALTH IN GROVE
1ASAN - dh interesting instance. Six
teen years ago a Sonoma county farmer
planted 200 acres of his farn-a
rugged, hilly area, which was practi
cally useless for any of the crops he
was engaged in growing-to eucalyptus
Several months ago this farmer was
offered 100000 for his 200 acres of 16
year old trees. That was al the rate of
$500 an acre The owner inyesti
gated and refused to sell He found
that he had been offered merely their
actual timber value for the trees. and
that by cutting and selling them him
self he could obtain that sum- and he
would still have his land with the
stumps. from which new trees would
spring up more rapidly than the orig
inal grove had grown. Thus he esti-
mates that his 200 scres OF useless
land has piled up profit for him at
the rate of $3.50 an acre a year for is
years. He says that his only mistake
was in not planting his useful" acre
age to eucalyptus also.
The usual basis for figuring the val
uation of eucalyptus plantation is the
value of the lumber contained in the
trees. The prices of telephone and tel
egraph poles. piling. fence posts, rail-
road ties and fuel are based upon the
board feet measurements. In selling
the product OF grove the owner will,
of course, figure to dispose OF 1t for
purpose which will pay the highest
price. consequently he will be unwill-