The San Francisco call., 1909-02-13


commercial purposes is rapidly defining
itself as an important industry in Cali
fornia. Seldom has action followed so
closely upon the heels of information.
The lure of eucalyptus culture is the
large and speedy returns which it
promises. The government, through the
department of agriculture and it's for
estry bureau, has been the prime mover
in ascertaining facts about eucalyptus
in its native Australia and in Cali
fornia, the land Of its adoption. The
government has given out its findings
through official bulletins, and 1T is well
that the education of the people has
been undertaken in this way. for the
statements OF the rapidity with which
the eucalyptus mature and the profits
awaiting the grower are so surprising
that they might not be accepted as
truthful without the government S
stamp.
STUDY TIMBER FAMINE
The experts of the department of
agriculture did not set out directly to
investigate eucalyptus, but rather to
study the threatened timber famine IN
the United States and to learn what
offsets We're to be had when there was
no more native hickory, oak, walnut,
ash or other hardwoods and when the
last of the pine and other soft woods
was going through the mills. Forester
Clifford Pinchot had declared that In
20 years the remaining lumber forests
would have been wiped out OF exist
ence and that very real timber famine
would be on. The department of agri-
culture found that while not pleasant
prophet, Pinchot was a sound one. Re-
forestation was considered. Oak. ash,
Iii Inl2nf
be set out upon the denuded areas, but
no mature trees could be expected un-
der so years, and some of the varieties
would require 300 years to make them
ripe for the saw. The remedy was too
slowNto be effective; it could not avert
famine South America, Europe and
even Asia wefe asked what they had
to offer in the way of lumber surplus.
The answers were wholly discouraging.
Then ii was that the department set
out to discover, If possible, tree
which while possessing all the valuable
qualities of the native hardwoodsi
would mature in far less time. And
thus the government came at last to
eucalyptus. Through the Unconditional
statements such as characterize gov
ernment bulletins there creeps an ire
irresistible enthusiasm which bespeaks
the belief OF the investigators that
they have made a valuable find indeed
Apparently, if the whole denuded
forest area of the country might be
planted TO the various eucalyptus the
timber famine could be averted, but
as the department of agriculture says
on mage . of Forest Circular No. SO;
ITS intolerance of frost restricts the
planting of eucalyptus in this country
almost entirely to the temperate val
leys OF California"
GIVES STATE ADVANTAGE
This places California IN the position
of being able to supply about all the
hardwood which the United States will
he able to obtain over a long period OF
wears In fact, California is taking Ut
| in earnest an industry which may en-
gage it profitably for all time. In one
| of the departments bulletins a state
ment is made to the effect that the
eucalyptus tree is so free Of pests and
blights and so independent OF variable
weather conditions while the market
for the product is so certain and profit
able that very many of the present
fruit growers and vineyardists of Cali
fornia could well afford to pull their
trees and vines out of the ground ano
replant to eucalyptus
In Australia the life history of tht
eucalyptus is easily studied, for in thai
country the wood has long peen usec
for every conceivable purpose, ant
i
ing which are 500 years old, having Z
/ diameter Of 36 feet. In addition TO be-
ing the fastest growing trees known
! tl,e eucalyptus, with the single eXcep.
ton of the Sequoia gigantea of Cali
fornia, attains the greatest height anC
| sirth But fortunately for California
/ it is not necessary to go to Australia
to study the tree and the conditions un.
der which it thrives best. In thi:
state are many groves, some of them
the oldest-having attained an age O.
so wears. Sailing masters of the early
! gold days brought sprouts from Austria
Tia and the tree was introduced into Cali
fornia. The distribution of eucalyptui
throughout the state is now so genera
| that it is possible to ascertain by ac.
tual Inspection just where the ire,
finds its happiest conditions. Califor
MIA has been playing with this treasur,
for a long time. while understanding
very little of its value.
AUSTRALIAN MAHOGANY
Australian mahogany" has com
manded a good price in the local mar.
ket for years-such of ii as came tt
this country-but only now are the
men who handled and sold the i'm.
ported wood finding out that Austria.
4 lian mahogany" is merely the seasoned
wood of exactly such trees as grow
in many spots about San Francisco bay
The mature wood, when seasoned, il
almost as hard as iron.
Californians know most about the
wood Of the eucalyptus from having