ABORICULTURE.

Bruce Herald, Volume XI, Issue 1073, 27 December 1878, Page 6

ABORICULTURE.

-,jj ,pne a pf, v the s chief,^.pbjeets afcswhiehi.the ( National , A.gricult^a}) §nd ,^ Pastprali-jjAs-pj? r Ne^r, jßhould a aiinjs the introduction of ! forest tree •piantinir, t^ot only in timberless , kcaliues^ but also ln : ' svibK 'distrTc¥8 Y as s tho i se' r in i wfiich nature has provided a large quantity *Vf 'forest.' This, however, may be said to be a secondary 1 to" tHe" society, altlipugh, it is Veil 1 k'hown' ihati tlie )a wpoded '^istrjcts'.of, Otl£J6 fT Ui'e :; becoming rapidly thinned out,' it would be ■wisdom on j^e part ot the, ■7(rf'Crp,wn.'k^ds),, jo]?. pn that pf ilie jirpp ; ietors (if freehold),; -to replace; the native 'dfiirable, and fast-growing .classes of w^pods,. "avaiiabie/ 'In such districts where there is no wood of any kind, and npt.exen a scrub shelter la obtainable, it is. necessary |o ßCT pl^g^j^.^aA^ sniubs for the s. lvation~anoT well-being of crops and flobks. -iTlve : nedeisi^' 'of haVing growmg trees in farming- distric a,- is admirably exemplinedby.ithe.lo.-siwhich is 'sustained by cnltivators, when they are absent, for not only do fartifeVs^find' themselves Without* firewood, jails, posts, ; stakes^. and a great variety .of ;;.other- useful tree: prbductionSjbufc they aLp.lose shelterj! /mois ure, local rajnr attraction, and a; more healthy temperaturei; ir Scientifically we may r put itjithuSj^ ln pjpoportion to the amount offorest vegetation in any. given given district—so, is the ■ quant ty of carbonic acid 'gas itaken'up, which hitherto must to a ! greater or lesser . extent, have exerted an 'injurous effect on man and be-tst.—More-over,it becomes equally a fact, tnat the o_xygen;throwu off by trees gives a higher itone and a healthies action to- the lungs of animalSii Take for. example, cattle fat* itened in the open pastures of treeless districts," and -those whose grazing embraces forest covers. ■ la the first instance, it will be; found that the beasts a-e uneasy jand at, times wild,, and that it takes a | considerable time to get them into order the butcher On the other hand, where jtbete is forest slielfcer, animals become conjtented, and fatten easily, beciuse they have ißhade from the heat, and shelter from the istorm, while at. night they are protected ifrom. the chilling dews ; they have, morejover, something to rrub themselves against, jwhich is a great comfort to them^ and they -require less water, because the grass ;is more; suculent. Horses and sheep have thesame fondness of bush shelter, while ipigs luxuriate in ;; it. Putting aside the great : and beneficial tfivcts proceeding from the cultivation of timber,, let us look lit the effecc ifc gives .to the landscapes ; plains covered with _grassy pasture, or waving grain, what are they wiihout the addition, pf clumps of trees to break the eamenessof the yjew. Whata wildiand i broken aspect the country presents in the: inferior of Otago, without a tree and scarce a shrub to ease the eye ; all around is bare ; rock, savage range, or= wild aud moiiotono^us plain, and perhaps not a more productive soil jcould be found in the world for the growth !pf tlie larch or (jh'e Scotch fir, whose liardy habits are so ably described by the poet Scottj in these lines : . ; - : ■' - : ; ; "■';' '""■' .. ■ • ijoored to, the rifted rock, i •.,- Proot.to the .tempest stiock, ; Trie firmer ib roots him the ruder it blows. Such: is the character of the ■> tree ! best to our windy interior land of the ' *' mountain and the flood." The difficulty of raising timber on the open plains of the ' ■ Middlpvlpland must be overcome, and to | this end we will-endeavortpishowanieans by example drawn from observation. One of the chief difficulties ...with, which we have to contend is t]ae almost total want of water for irrigation ; to make up for ! this deficiency, it is, njecessary in making plantations, or shelter line of trees on the plain's, to thoroughly woi-k the land in which such trees are to planted— ; by subI soiling, griibing, and harrowing. Indeed the soil cannot be too well pulverized, nor - too deeply ploughed because tree life is -almost altogether dependant ■on the food ' constifcuarits 'of the soil, and in proppmon to' the supply obtained : therefroni so' they - make wo'bd sab"bve"grouhd dr ; below it/ Careless pTSnting v is !: generally siire-'to prove this fact for idself, as-theitreew'ill bedf stunted growth and large .spread >6f superficial root -5 or, on theptherr hand, ; if proper precaution >be tiken) itii.will be of ; vigorous^ habit with, ■deep (Stciking, rpots.!?;. Perhaps the best method of obtaining;* htemporary shelter for plantations iscftbjjainea.-) from the construction;ip£. mud,-; ; fences,, (W-ifrhjaa'.outside 1 'jiitch, and securing the^wall. by planting gorse ,Wong> its top. TMS'in^lhe course of a jsoason or 'two ' will j gi ve 1 good sh'tOter for ; nalf or three-quarters of .a chaiff;Ain breadth*: The pepermint !&&&- weeping gikm a would form- very hardy 'arid I ' useful yputsid^rttreesj ..while stringybark, larch, 1 fir/ whijtg.biijchi^and: beach^would do -jwelMn* if i^e. ir f A,^P J ther diificulty ;; whichniisJ neces* ; sa|ry] r tQ point jp.utas; t ( hat ,p| prptJecting" both. 8 s^pWg.^re^Sv^^Thk equally protected by wall, ditch, and gorse,,\intil old enough to, let stock , amongst >them. y Thia is oue of the dpaiw/bac^s. .whictiTriihten c^tivitors,\ becap of the

expense^connected;with it; but by a littlecalculation anyone can readily satisfy him- ! self that the'p^rofit accruingin seven years i frdm plantations containing gums, string- ; bark and "bifcb, will'more coyer the : 6ufclayy an d he will h ave; plenty; -pf stuff i left to go pn * with. ; A 'capital shelter hedge for the protection^ of young tre.es may b'6 9^btMrfed , by sowing 'inanity seep lldr the .space of 20.1^ on eitheF|isejbf r the ground " proposed itb, be planted. ~ The manuka ra-pwlyj .and "fonnsV In a few' years it r becomes ve^y. useful Jor rough brooms and pea poles«; and, . when it has.attained tbeheight of ;10ft,s can -be ginned; out,' t th^s, jfeaying ■ a fine, plantation of most useful- wood. ToVpersons about to go largely, .into ipresb j? tree U( planting, jaind haying' npexperieh'pe. therein 'other, .than '^ktr^x^^fioi^^y^iM^fm (the . subject, we wpuld" recomm ; end a trip to any of -the iarge. native forests of this country, much knowledge of a. ueeful r .and Taried character is to be obtained..,, if He' will visit libe plantations of, Aw^moaj. W.fiidsor Pa^rk, or Elderslee, near . . <pama-, tvq] <f! in c pur pwii cpuntry, . atnjjg others, of ij ? Bimi|ar character in other . counties in, tile Colony, he w;ill obtain a .ya^t amount, Of useful .knWledge on, this subiect , for example^ the use^ of ( they horse, hoe :iS(.of the utmost importance in open plantations, wh'ile ! -.l^^uch\a^ > MYe ( ,3mali fr ( uit,,. trees,, and,' "shrubs, r planted amongst ., them j the : hand^pe,' should be p^| into r ppnjtjniial „re'- ' quisitipn'.,- It has^be^h dempnsira^edr that, tree plantations largely fayor t^ie success-, ful productipn of truU, a fact^ which^comr; I mon ' pDsPrvVitipn will/prpye.' in.,.O.tago. j Take for Example the brchard^pf ; Mr Mor- , ton, 1 6f, Waitapipka,, on the west b an^; pfthe, Cluthariver^ whose fr^ittiees are planted, ialbng^the side of a natural bush in the centre of his'farm. 'The, richness of .the. flavor of 'his fruit is beyond a ,<joubt to be j credfted to shelter/ local rain , af tractioij, ■shade, and sun, the last- two alternating according tp the position which the fruits occupy amongst the natural vegetation. Small fruits, such 'as rasps, blackberries, strawberries, etc., are always improved by ! connection with forest contiguity. In the Onite'd States, .and Canada, these,, fruits grow wild in immense quantities, and are to beibund of great richness i and flavor in burned districts excep.ted). Oiie of the the finest fruit gardens in Otago are those of the (Grood wood estate,, which are embayed in the native forest, i One, of the chief reasons of the success attending .f rait planting in the vicinity of bu^b, is th<ifc of the extra moisture which is attracted' by all forest trees'. Take them away, and it is fo<md that gar«3ebs languish until the shrubs and hedges in and -about them attain a strong and vigorous life, add to these a few ornamental trees, 'and they will be I '; found to give great additional vigor to the soil (gams always excepted). PPplars are considered the best for this purpose, but they require a free light soil to give them any perfection of growth;' On the sea coast, great difficulty seems to prevail in the successful production of forest trees. This, T chink, might be overcome by a little attention to the national classification of 1 trees. In all countries trees are found adapted to localities and circumstances. For example, the mangrove is a native of the swampy shores and coast lagoons of Flqrida and the West Indies. The sj>ruce and vCjgdar, those of North America*, the ti treiajpf Australia, the ceooa-nut palm, of the South. Sea Islands, the lime and the piue, of Norfolk Island, while the shores pf the Middle Island of New Zealand , produced the kaio, the broadleaf and ironwpod. Why do we not follow natures example in our attempts at coast tree, cultivation. The natural reproduction from seed of the broadleaf, the ironwpod, and kaio is always going on in our coast forests. Why not sow rows of these : trees .round the garden reserve in Arun : street,, ; .Qamaru 1 There can be but little doubt of their successful production in their native soil ; then, if shelter were once obtained, these gardens would become worth the trouble of a visit. The same practices applies to the whole coast line of New Zealand. While at a distance of two or thaee ' miles almost all general forest trees can be successfully produced. The native birch is the chief timber of the interior, it is found in dense forests at the heads pf Lakes Wakatip, Wanaka, O'hou, and on the western sides of the Te Anau and Manipbra. Unforfcu- i nately, however, this timber is very sel- J dom sound, being affected to a great extent by drp rot under the bark ; it thus occurs that only about 25 per cent pf these forests may be reckoned on for planking of any length, and this : accounts for r the anxifty of the Lake County Council to obtain from the Waste Lands Board a' grant- of 100 acres in eachi'idingpf chat cpuntyy;fpr tree planting, because "distant as.theyiare from the coast, they fully realise "the importance of having a quantity of reliable; timber at: Jiand- for mining purposes. 1 Our, ,pwn: County / Council- i could not do better thap; follow their .example, eyen if | they, got ;no more than '10 : acres iv each ' iiiding;i Following out the suggestion, • 'the Municipal Council would do well to j ma-ke; plantations of rows' of lombardy poplars; on- either side of the water race "along its whole course, i > trees form'tlie, <■ maiuT protectors • oo n similar races in South f America, binding theii' 'banks iand otherypise preventing damage; from floods. Sbmetimes in Chili, when • the poplar has attained; sufficient I gro wthi ■■-;• . staples ' are driven; in the stemj .and -j wires rim along frpmi]tree,tPh.tree, r lthuß forming a capital ' fe|nce., ,// /Of rAmerican forest <trees suitable f /for 5 coast acclimatisation — the spruces, . blapk^and^ Wihite j; , { the pines,* f white, and cydfpW^and j ( the Jarch-^wpuld thrive best.Jin. [the;, inferior,, on iimestpne , and. rßchist .|6rmatipn, or r :Mn:the i ,yicjnity. of .granite jjandj ; gneiss ,r—^'sugar . . and r;.jwhite; f^gether^ t w^t|i n bea,cL, and yellow Jrndjpf l^ite ;^h^ i wji?u^^}b^Bt Some .of a

the above mentioned trees .are most valuable in their respective qualities for j carpentry and' shipbuilding, others for ckßinet mlaking. . ; A/ very handsome plantation'; is r raid' off in the^ neighbour. hootT of ; : Timatu, the ' : property Vi of Messitf H Brol^ and DtividsoW,' and isVorih a visit from 5 persons who are ihtere^din a^Doriciilture. On the Awj& moa; Estate 'neir Oairiaiufi the Hon.> M.; Holmes \hksi a plantation containing the greatest (Variety of specimen 'forest trees tb r be fouridoih .New Zealand;- No- less ■=■. than 24:diffetenfc J :yarie.tlesiiof'the ?gum family are: stp; be [Observed.^ : .Every obtainable, tr.§ei of thejjCyprus/ pine ■; family , is, fpund-rhere gSPwißg^jlW-?^ 1^ 11 *^ Q* tl^ese,. the pinus muricata,, is a good shelter tree, sjijands the wjncl^elj W&Mn * ■•JVW& grower,- ; it, is yery. suitable for the Canterbury pjtaina. ; „ The pinus r sylvestus , is t f another tree wh^ich would be equally suit" able j^of tfte gums, /the ijw&eping, and the; ; pepperniint,^ S,re r the best adapted' Wr the [interior, because they stand thaTrost well/ lln nut .tree^;'th"^re-are"«he: furrowed and ji white- hickory s-ivery- suitable rfonniflie Waiareka : and vWaimate (districts; The ; pecan and tonientosa, also of the same | species ■will not do so well in this 'countryas farther: north. :: ( The butter nut, -howi-I ; ever, will do well in : any part, of ©tago, j but particularly inithe interior, all theses I tree9. while, youngiithrive best in sheltered? .situations amongst -> .Both! varieties of the laet named wood "is .highly^ esteemed in J,Ganada, ; and the TJvS.b*for; cabinet- making ; cthe yellow butter irat» is more hardyi, perhaps, than the^black, and would be better:, adapted for, Hour colder* regions in*. -; the?^interior* ; They^ bear also ar very.edible nut) t The A mericau mulberry : 'is also>tme of the Awamoa collection, and .is not only a handsome tree, but bears a jvery pleasant fruit ; it: would be a 1 capital 1 j addition to ;tbe ornamental ground of any [gentleman's place. , For tlieother Ameri|can trees in collection,, we mayl mention jtbe Bass tree, Burr Oak, Ash colored Oak, .and Marsh ' Oak, the last mentioned, tree lattainjng ,the height of 80ft when< full I grown. This succesfui production of ; American trees: fronij seed should encour : age others to follow the example. As a hint to any who may be induced to do so, ;w,e may state that some of the seed from j which the young trees/have >grown were ; two years iv the ground, before fructifica-: ;tion tookplaee. It will therefor be seenjthat it requires patience to raise almost all ■forest trees, combined with alarge amount : of perseverance and practical application..