The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1910-08-11

ilro is the greatest source OF INJURY 10 "u-
cal"pus plantations. iuth the natural charac.
tcris'rs Of the trees ana the conditions within
planted STOVES render them peculiarly su ccp.
uuln TO fire injury. The large quantity OF lit
tor-dry leaves, branches and shredded bark
which accumulates beneath q stand IS extreme
~ inNammable The bark Of eucalyptus IS 50
thin that the trees are injured even by light
surface fires.
Tho wood Of blue gum is very heavy hard
strong and tough. but Is not durable In contact
with the soil. 1t Is close.grained, and is split
with difficulty after it has dried II Is less elias
tic than hickory but It has been demonstrated
by mechanical tests that seasoned blue gum
timber is a little inferior In strength and stIT-
ness to the best second growth hickory. In ap-
pearance It closely resembles the wood of hick.
DRY and ash
Buc.gum timber Is utilized for great vari-
city Of purposes In California. The wood IS cx-
cellont for fuel, and in the trcclcss valleys has
been tho chief fuel supply for many years. In
southern California the steady demand renders
commercial planting for fuel very profitable.
Eucalyptus timber has been extensively used in
California for wharf piling. Blue.Cum piles are
in use IN nearly every port on the California
coast and extended trial has shown that they
resist the attacks Of marine borers which de.
stroy timber In sea water longer than other
timber has also been used to some extent for
fence posts and telephone poles. The wood is
not suitable for This purpose, however. on &C
count Of its short lie in the ground. Seasoned
posts last a little longer than green posts, and
timber cut from tn, heart is more durable than
sapwood.
Blue.Eum timber has been used to a limited
extent 10 determine its value for railroad ties
The results thus tar obtained indicate that It
compares fayorably with seCond.grade pine tie
timber.
The lumber has been extensively used for We
hicle stock and for wooden parts of agricultural
implements II Is also made into lnsulator pins
for electric wiring and is used for furniture
and cabinet work, hardwood flooring. tripham-
mer beams the levers of windlasses, and the
blocking for oil and wine presses wood paving.
pulley blocks and belt wheels
The extensive utilization of gum lumber has
hitherto been prevented by the scanty supply OF
timber OF merChantable size and by the din.
Guilty experienced in seasoning the lumber with.
out Wrapping and checking. II is believed, how.
ever. that in the seasoning of gum no greater
difficulties will be encountered than in season.
ing Of any other hardwood of similar density
and strength
A product Of considerable Importance derived
from blue gum is the oil distilled from the
leaves. Eucalyptus oil is recognized as a valu
able drug and Is extensively used by pharma.
cists and physicians.
In many valleys OF California eucalyptus
windbreaks are considered absolutely necessary
to insure the successful production of crops.
They have been mCst extensively used to safe.
guard citrus richards from strong and de.
structivc winds In southern California, but they
are now being established also for the pro-
lection OF vineyards and orchards Of dccduous
fruits, olives and walnuts. The blue gum OK.
cells other species for windbreak purposes on
account of its height and the rapidity Of its
growth The tall shafts OF the trees bend be.
fore the wind and act as n cushion TO defect 1t
upward over the orchard, whereas ordinary
wiud-break trees form n mere solid wall, and
the wind draws downward, forming eddies near
the leeward side.
Eucalyptus reproduce readily by both seeds
and sprouts. The trees bear seed in abun.
dance annually, and under favorable conditions
natural reproduction is freely established.
Trees also sprout vigorously from both the
stump and the roots. either after cutting or IN
response to injury In California commercial
groves are almost invariably reproduced by
sprouts.
Plantations should be started with young
trees and not by direct sowing. The opinion
is generally held that EUCALYPTUS seedlings arc
so difficult TO raise that their propagation is
impracticable except for expert nurserymsn.
In point of fact, blue gum IS one OF the most
easily propagated speciee.