Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1910-05-12
A. F. Parker Makes Very Fauor-
able Report on Eucalyptus Industry

surface. 1t is the intention of Mr..
Cameron to cultivate the trees twice
a month, thus avoiding the necessity
of irrigation, which the surface water
will render unnecessary, in any event.
In my former visits to California |
had heard much of the rapid growth
of the Eucalyptus, but its growth as
commercial proposition never occurred
to me, until President Roosevelts
conservation message on the rapid ex-
haustion of our timber and other nat
ural resources, brought it torcibly to
my mind
l have been near neighbor of
yours for about thirty years; have
been associated with President STAN
dron of Pocatello and Vice-President
Moss Of Payette, in the Constitu-
tional Convention of 1889; also with
Ex-Governor Hunt, as a member of
the Idaho st. Louis Fair Commission.
When | saw the names of you old
time residents and responsible citizens
Of the State of Idaho at the head of
the Idaho Hardwood Company, l
looked further into the Eucalyptus
proposition. Some of the published
statements of the United States De-
partment Of Agriculture and other
authorities, concerning the rapid
growth Of the Eucalyptus, seemed al
most unbelievable. From personal
inspection and close investigation, 1
can now verify all Of the statements
which have been presented to the
public by these reputable authorities.
North Of San Francisco are many
thousands of acres planted to Euca-
lyptus, some of which are yielding al
most fabulous returns to their owners.
for firewood purposes alone. | visited
the groves of Frank Meacham, some
miles north of Petaluma, and re-
ceived his personal assurance, in ver-
ification of the published statements,
that his eighteen year old grove is
worth, on expert appraisement, $12,-
10000 per acre, for the trees stand
ing on it. These trees were planted
on his poorest land, under conditions
most unfavorable to the growth of
the tree, and never received any care
or irrigation. In another of his
groves he cut three-fourths of an acre
and sold it for cord-wood at net
profit Of 100000. l inspected a
forty acre eight-year-old grove of Mr..
Meacham' walked back and forth
through it, measured number Of the
trees, and can assure you that the
trees today average over ten inches in
diameter.
| At San Jose | inspected the plant
of the Hardwood Planning Mill Co.,
which runs exclusively on Eucalyptus
timber. Here one begins to realize
the possibilities Of the Eucalyptus and
its commercial value as the hardwood
of the future. The demand far ex-
ceeds the supply. | visited the fur
niture factory Of A. c. Rumble Il
Son, devoted exclusively to the man.
ufacture of the very highest class of
Eucalyptus furniture of every con-
ceivable kind. This institution is
also handicapped by the scarcity of
raw material.
At Los Angeles | inspected the
plant of the Hughes Mfg. and Lum-
Der Go. and they inform me by letter
that they cannot obtain over 100000
feet of dried Eucalyptus lumber be-
fore next December; that the trees
are very scarce, and their orders al
ready on file have to await seasoning
OF the lumber. They furnished the
finishing of the Gro Sc building in
Los Angeles, and Of the First Nat
ional Bank, of Alhambra, California,
! and are superior for finish, as an in
spection will show, to any in the L. S.
In short, | have inspected the
,, proposition from the seedlings in the
Nursery, to the finished product, and
have concluded that the growth of
Eucalyptus will be Of greater benefit
to humanity and to the State of Cali
, fornia than was the discovery of gold
: in 1S49.
: This may appear to be strong Ian
guage, but | am content to await the
! passing of time to verify it in every
particular. The Eucalyptus tree seems
to be immune from all disease, and
e has grown without care, in unfavor
J. able localities, and under adverse
l. conditions. In the semi-tropic eli
e mate of Kern county, and under thu
'e care which will be given to the plant
q ing on the land of the Idaho Hard
5 wood Company, it appears to me, 8
IN far as human foresight can predict
T. an absolutely safe. sure and highl