SELWYN PLANTATION BOARD.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16404, 26 December 1918, Page 3

SELWYN PLANTATION BOARD.

iIONTHLY MEETING,

Tho Selwvn Plantation Board met on Monday, Mr W. H. Skiuner, Commissioner of Crown Lands, presiding. -Hoard Mr K. Wilson wrote thanking the Boarrt 'for' its appreciation of his services in regard to the planting of trees. It had been a labour of interest to him for 32 y ea "- . In apologiaing for absence from meeting, Mr S. A. Staples defer -i report from the Firewood Committoo until the January meeting. e »,(~q Tho superintendent's progress report tnat, although hampered by tho prevalence of influenza, the contractors were makm„ satisfactory headway infno clcaral l co reserve 1758. Hororata. . For tho nast four months ending November 30th, 202,337 super, feet of timber had been cut, making a total output of 1,219,894 feet since the mill began. There appeared to be about tour oi five months' sawmill work to bo carned out on the reserve. Orders for .260 cords J wood had been received during tho past fortnight. Only, three cutters were at present employed, and after . tho . holidays it would bo necessary to employ several add'h°pal men. Whilst thus making tho wood-sellin venture a sound business proposition tho desired thinning of plantations was being carricd into effect. In regard to nursery work the lined-out trees wero making very satisfactory progress, . although it was earlv yet to predict the results of seed-sowing. Should anticipations not bo borne out, a further sowing would bo made after_ the Year. Wattles that wero .interfering with water-races in thoi Hororata district werp duly removed 'and 3race3 cleancd. out where circumstances warranted. . ■ : The following transfer, "was approved: — William Charles Chamberlain to Edith Alice Askew, pari reserve 1756. 1 Tho transfer of part reserves 1764. 17G5. and ■3051, and patt 'of the .land comprised in lease No. 11l from James Herbert' Bagg, Joseph Law ton Ragg, : and Alfred Searlo to Charles Samuels, was loft to tho chairman to deal - with.

FUTURE MANAGEMENT OF RESERVES. • A report bearing tipon a suggested scheme •of general management «■{ tho reserves was presented .by the superintendent. , The report ertatod that an inspection of the mixed plantations would immediately diseloro tho .fact that the originators could not hp.vo aimed at forming forests for commercial purposes, but inclined rather at creating shelter specially from the nor'-westera. Tho object had been accomplished, but the uprooting of the pinus insignis through win<J-pr€66Tiro, and the likelihood of n continuation. of this trouble, affected the interior of the.forcet to such an extent, that wholesale reforms were essential to put many of tho plantations in even moderately . fair order. Pinus insignia was an' abnormally fast-growing tree, but attained maturity at a comparatively oarly age, and considerable development in the future of many of the older pines ehoald not bo anticipated, and, moreover, tho gradual decay of the ■ root system would surely influence wholesale uprooting should high winds bo experienced when the ground was in ' a soaked state. It was apparent that in undertaking • tho clearance of wind-swopt- plantations tho Board was faced with several perplexing questions. In regard to the propagation of trees the report stated that, although tho present nursery site was not an ideal one for, treeraising, th'ere could bo no doubt that, with shelter, a very fair measure of success might be' obtained. The' following seedlings, which wero secured at ■an exoeodingly low price, had been lined out: —Pinus insignis 55,000, p.-laricio 18,000, p. pondorosa 15,000^ ; making a total of 88,000. All . appliances for the systematic working of a small nursery had been and it was confidently expected that no difficulty would be. experienced in raising up to 200,000 trees if required, with a comparatively small outlay. The early creation of pinus insignis plantations at a reasonable distance from railway communica-. tion appeared to be desirable,. as undoubtedly .great profit would accrue from the production of the fast-growing pinus insignis and gum timber. In tho event of quick Bhelter only being aimed at. p. insignis _ Bft apart in "breaEs" would meet the position. The general maintenance of pine and prim plantations, the conversion and distribution of timber, and fire preventive measures; were also dealt with in the report, which was. received and consideration deferred till . next meeting.