REAFFORESTATION.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14909, 24 February 1914, Page 4

REAFFORESTATION.

(press association telegram.) AUCKLAND, February 23. Problems of reafforestation were touched upon by Mr T>. A. Hay in the course of a paper on forest and ornamental trees for city, garden, and forest planting at tho New Zealand Nurserymen's Associations' annual conference this afternoon. Reafforestation in NewZealand had boon sadly neglected, he eaid, and vast areas that were practically -useless could bo turned to profitable account by judicious planting, and become a source of wealth to the In replanting, tho native species that had served their purpose in the past, and still existed in limited areas, would have to give place to exotics. In the future our commercial forests would chiefly consist of tho quickest-growing conifers. Eucalyptus or gums would b© extensively planted. Gums were mostly of rapid growth, highly ornamental, and would succeed on almost any soils. '•Experimental planting in different localities throughout the Dominion." he continued, "is urgently required in <&■ der to Drove what are the best and most profitable trees for the future selection of seeds for sowing. In evcrv instance where plants are produced from tho seedlings, the seeds should bo obtained from, tho best type. The parent tree should bo the most vigorous and the best of its kind." Proceeding, Mr Hay said that now that tho planting of eucalyptus was so important, it was absolutely necessary to obtain seeds from the most suitable districts. For instance, seeds of the Tasmanian variety should bo obtained from their original district, and not collected from trees introduced and established in tho wanner district of New South Wales.