PLANTATIONS IN CANTERBURY.

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20862, 23 May 1933, Page 7

PLANTATIONS IN CANTERBURY.

*(£ OF SELWYN BOARD. fPf'-W A SATISFACTORY "I>Z- :•' 'TEAR. IfflflMC "-fee progress generally J3PP *tads established during *»tllj«an; it will be admitted Jf*Pr«aOß*s growth compares at «£ftSfflttaMy with that of other «jjjf. rtat« the annual report pre--sgffr * meeting of the Selwyn *ffito Baud yesterday by the **WW*wert (Mr K. G. Robinson). /p* ***» has been characterised JKastifogly dry late summer S^? 11 blowing an unusually iggjjrf o * November during which * ain fell over 12 davs--32W tr * c «rded at Darfleld for sSS MUnted t0 23J6 inches on greater than in the JJJWjrw, although the year's fall inches and a half below ffijfc recorded over the last

JhSSEJh «P«c*«tlons the sea*ffinSr m w , ork has been very *BttteViML ! ?2 rticularl y Pleagjng is *»iSbm i?- 8 " 0 "? development of F which have inSMSi I !f , f ht by three f eet. i* »«fe7iL u l. hand t0 complete September next of| JmwZXE?"? here " &»ttaft«? 1 ? Br , of trees Planted is Eft CUm&£ <s£& 8 Department &Wr *Sft , ?W*B«eillißjs. S!*m!»s&' S reater success K ti ß^2& x ' opa , ga t ion of f orest 2? 4br2Sl than ln any previous ?jF»ffln COatinues ' and this sH!*Kn^H Mure « be attributed i^SSLfc'VHP B * 6 sorted tfsfr%, Uttle kbour has Sfe»Sly a m e u l { lUrSe . ry which s*Sie 5L*?? mOf the usual exXiwH?"? 1 in the neces - S& *SfftfeJ tc - £ bout 542 ' 500 iSaßttoL ed and ar * a parof about 121b of SM>y e board ' s P Jan taSHsWaHL o **^ pines rew sfc , *A h.rH? JUsuall y dei nte "sting sowSS* 3 ftnd lanti P f rorn seeds flTkS^aStS 1 by Mr James Ax^SSh 7 * uc ««sful, and w*«^S»Ht were J raised with - V**?m iS res P° nsi ble for ago. V]l*.Wt»« k in , hand insist<S*iK£ W l^ nging from one ti«.7\v e COmin e season.

S* from Sawmills. IJfbeing steadily carJmberiey and Slee- , which have been secured also from «ons, and Hart's «POrt states. "The d by lack of orders, ■ case and building factor is much * of during the pres-. ~ ™« m3 arttlon s. however, •Sfs'-i;'■ "•* ot th « new mill

on Boundary road, near Hororata, for the systematic milling of a larger quantity of timber, whilst from the smaller mill at Dorman's ■ plantation, Springfield, a fair output is anticipated. As distant orders for box-wood, etc., are being received, it is confidently expected that the combined output for the three mills next season will compare favourably with that recorded in normal years. "Some 422,980 superficial feet of pine, 15,090 feet of gum, and 9200 feet of Oregon were sawn, for which a sum Of £651 14s 4d was received in royalty. The total quantity of firewood split or sawn amounted to 1707 cords, included in which were 303 cords of gum, 1125 cords of pine, and 219 cords of wattle. In addition, some 6770 stakes and 136 posts were cut as required. "On several occasions strong nor'westers were responsible for the uprooting of middle-aged pines, particularly in the Hororata and Darfield districts, but where practicable these fallen trees have either been cut into firewood by board employees or disposed of on a royalty basis to local residents. It is very evident that trees possessing heavy crowns have to withstand a tremendous wind pressure during the prevalence of these occasional nor'-west gales, and the annual uprooting of 30 to 40-year-old pines may be expected. "As many of the older pine stands are 40 to 50 miles from the city and from 10 to 20 miles from the nearest railway siding the value of fallen timber is somewhat discounted. (

Gums Affected by Dryness. "Prominent among the effects of the prolonged dryness is the failing of well-established eucalyptus over the drier parts of the Canterbury plains," the report says. "Periodically specimens here and there fail to withstand an unusually dry summer, but on no previous occasion in my experience have the hardwoods suffered to such an extent as in the present year. Although to the parched state of the root system may be attributed the failure of all ages, undoubtedly the strong, warm nor'westers completed the damage by starving and literally burning up the foliage. Whilst a great check is given to these affected trees, in most cases they will survive, although shock in some form or other is .given the timber. "As might be expected, trees, jn common with members of the vegetable kingdom generally, contract diseases more readily arid are less able to throw off the trouble when conditions for development are absent. It would therefore appear that the extended planting of gums just now over the more arid surfaces is attended with grave risk.

Natural Regeneration. "The important phase of natural regeneration in the board's plantations of eucalyptus obliqua (stringy bark), I upon which much interest has been centred of late, has also received a decided setback by intense dryness. For some years seedling gums have flourished under the canopy of selected parent trees, and given indication of a satisfactory replacement of the original stand of gums with little trouble or expense. On the heavier or more moist surfaces the regeneration scheme, however, may still be regarded as completely successful, but over a wide expanse of the plains further attempts fclaid nature In replenishing partiaUycut*out exotic woods must be regarded as an uncertain proposition. Work of Unemployed. The report makes 8 special reference to the good work done by unemployed from the city under the No. 5 ScJIGIHG The proposals for 1933-34, which are outlined, include the raising of threequarters of a million young trees at the Darfleld nursery. . About 450 acres wUI be reafforested with various kinds

of timber trees. Sawmilling operations will be carried on, and it is anticipated that about 1,000,000 superficial feet of timber will be worked by the three mills during the year. MEETING OF BOARD. DRY WEATHER HINDERING WORK. The continued dry weather was making it impossible to proceed with I the preparation of land for the season's general planting work, although a few thousand pits were made over the lighter surface at Southbridge, said the monthly report of the Selwyn Plantation Board's superintendent (Mr R. G. Robinson) presented at a meeting of the board yesterday. The effects of the combined influence of intense dryness and frequent nor'-westers were now becoming more evident by the withering of the foliage of even the older-established gums throughout the plains. Even hardy belts of the hardier eucalyptus and others in privatelyowned as well as the board's stands were assuming a sickly appearance, and the ravages of gall disease, beetles, and scale further added to the serious irritation of the trees. •

It was pleasing to record the success I attained this season in both treepropagation and planting-out work. Nearly 1,000,000 trees had been raised, and these had developed into a normal sturdy lot. The young plantations were successful, although the present autumn growth had perhaps been slightly less than in more favourable years. • Good progress was being made in the cutting of pine and wattle and gum firewood, while the sale of seasoned fuel was being well maintained. Representatives of the Returned Soldiers' Association were now engaged at wood-cutting at Scarlett's plantation, and every assistance would be given the cutters in making a success of their undertaking. The unemployed camp had been re-established at Southbridge, and men had been engaged during the last fortnight at scrub-cutting, fencing, and preparing pits for tree-planting. The report was adopted. Mr W. Stewart presided over the meeting.