FARM FORESTRY CONFERENCE

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28887, 6 May 1959, Page 13

FARM FORESTRY CONFERENCE

1960 Meeting May Be Held In Christchurch

A decision to invite North and South Island branches of the farm forestry movement to hold their next annual conference in Christchurch early in April, 1960. was made at a meeting in conjunction with the first field day of the season held last week by the Mid-Canterbury Forestry Association.

The secretary of the association (Mr R. R. Beauchamp) reported on this year’s conference held recently at New Plymouth. Mr Beauchamp also told members that there had been considerable progress in the formulation of a tree seed-certification scheme. The Forest Service had now introduced a system of certification. and a committee would soon visit the South Island and would inspect individual trees or stands with a view to classing them as certified sources of seed. Individual farmers or farm forestry associations were invited to co-operate with the Forest Service in this project. The field day, which was attended by about 40 members and visitors from the North and MidCanterbury associations, began in the Botanic Gardens under the guidance of the assistant curator (Mr L. J. Metcalf). The trees were showing perfect autumn colouring, and evergreen and deciduous trees, exotic and native, suitable for farm shelter and amenity planting were pointed out and their relative merits for use and beauty discussed. After lunch in the gardens the party moved to the Ministry of Works nursery in Hansons lane, where Mr D. G'. Malcolm gave a demonstration of tree propagation by cuttings, grafting and budding. Some new methods evolved by the Oamaru Tree Planting Society were particularly striking; 3in cuttings of Chinese poplar completely buried in soil showed an average growth of Bft in the first year.

The party inspected the nursery where a great variety of trees is grown for roadside planting and landscaping schools, aerodromes, hydro-electric stations, and other public property. At the invitation of Mr James Deans the association’s next field day will be held at “Homebush” and “Rowallan” on Thursday, May 28.