River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1910-08-11

Fire is the greatest source of injury to eu-
calyptus plantations. Both the natural charac-
teristics of the trees and the conditions within
planted groVes render them peculiarly suscep-
tible to fire injury. The large quantity OF lit
ter-dry leaves branches and shredded bark
which accumulates beneath a stand IS extreme
Iy infiammable The bark of eucalyptus is so
thin that the trees are injured by light
surface fires.
The 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, It. 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 stiff
ness to the best second growth hickory. In ap-
pearance it closely resembles the wood of hick
DRY and ash.
Bue-gum timber is utilized for a great vari
ETY. Of purposes in California. The wood is ex-
cellent for fuel, and in the treeless valleys has
been the 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 piing Blue-guDl 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
species commonly used for piling. Blue-gum
fence posts and telephone poles. The wood Is
not suitable for this purpose, however, on &C
count of it's short life in the ground. Seasoned
posts last little longer than green posts, and
timber cut rom the heart is more durable than
sapwood.
Blue-gum timber has been used to a limited
extent to determine its value for railroad ties
The results thus far obtained indicate that it
compares favorably with second-grade pine-tie
timber.
The lumber has been extensively used for We
hicle stock and for wooden parts of agricultural
implements. 1t is also made into insulator pins
for electric wiring, and Is used for furniture
and cabinet work, hardwood flooring, trip-ham-
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 diff
Guilty experienced in seasoning the lumber with
out warping and checking. 1t 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.
product of considerable Importance derived
from blue gum is the oil distilled from the
leaves Eucalyptus oil is recognized as valu-
able drug and is extensively used by pharmac
csts and physicians.
In many valleys of California eucalyptus
windbreaks are considered absolutely necessary
to insure the successful production of crops
They have been NEST extensively used to safe
guard citrus orchards from strong and de-
structive winds in southern California, but they
are now being established also for the pro-
lection of vineyards and orchards OF dec1duous
fruits olives and walnuts. The blue gum eX'
cells other species for windbreak purposes on
account Of it's height and the rapidity of it's
growth The tall shafts OF the trees bend be-
fore the wind and act as cushion to defect 1t
inward over the orchard whereas ordinary
wind-break trees form more 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 abur-
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 n
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 are
so difficult to raise that their propagation Is
impracticable except for expert nurserymen.
In point of fact, blue gum is one of the most
easily propagated species.