FARM SHELTER ON THE PLAINS

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29270, 30 July 1960, Page 8

FARM SHELTER ON THE PLAINS

The Best Course Of Action

(By R. R. BEAUCHAMP, Secretary Mid-Canterbury Farm Forestry Association}

r pHE Mid-Canterbury Farm Forestry Association feels that the problems of farm and homestead shelter over a large part of the Canterbury Plains are by no means solved. The gorse hedges which the early settlers planted are now 70 to 80 years old. The banks on which the seedlings were set are eroding and in spite of the great improvement due to mechanical trimming, many hedges are due for replacement. Such radiata and macrocarpa belts as have been planted are now wasteful and inefficient.

The land over most of our area is medium to good and commands a high price, so that single, or at most double, row shelter is essential. With a rainfall of 25 to 30 inches and severe winds from northwest, southwest and, near the coast, east the establishment of suitable trees is a problem; but it was felt that, with the experience gathered recently in the use of new varieties, a discussion and pooling of informa-

tion might be of use to farmers in the area roughly between the Ashley and Rakaia rivers and extending from the sea to the foothills. In the course of a recent field day members spent the morning going round the BroadfleldsSpringston district They saw old pine shelter where the top had been removed by man and the bottom by nature, leaving something that was . neither useful nor ornamental. Under one such belt an attempt had been made to establish a low shelter of different varieties. Of these drought and draught had left nothing but two unhappy looking red flowering gums—despite careful planting and some cultivation. Altogether a depressing picture. There were, however, good trimmed hedges of macrocarpa, radiata and poplar and experiments with Arizonica, Thuja and Lawson’s Cypress that showed promise. Mr Marshall of Springston, is replacing a roadside gorse hedge with the Italian pencil cypress, a single row planted 3 ft apart. In front of his homestead is a 12ft shelter hedge of golden cypress, which for colour, density and form would be hard to beat Lunch in Mr and Mrs C. S. Simpson’s garden was in itself a lesson in shelter planting. Before the new homestead was built nine years ago, a double row of radiata spaced 6x6 was put round the area. In the micro-climate thus established the permanent trees and gardens were planted and today every variety of useful tree, evergreen; deciduous and ornamental is growing to perfection. That 30 people could sit in the open on a mid-winter afternoon and talk for three hours was a tribute to the value of such shelter. Four Headings The discussion'was kept under four headings, as far as it is possible to keep farmers* discussions under any heading: (A.) varieties, (B.) spacing, (C.) cultivation,.and (D.) trimming Under A, the deodar emerged as the most likely to succeed under any of the conditions to be found in our area. It was suggested that pinching out the leader would produce better shelter. Several members reported that hares could be relied on to do this. A commerically marketed stock repellant was recommended to deal with the hares. The deodar seems to transplant well Two-year stock, grown on a fur-

ther year in the farm garden, has been found very satisfactory for extensive planting in Ashburton County. Next to deodar the Western red cedar Thuja plicata found most favour. It is being grown extensively south of the Rakaia, and single row belts up to 25 years old give dense shelter to the base with a height of up to 40ft in good ground. The opinion was expressed that on light land Thuja would need some initial shelter, perhaps radiata, close planted and later removed—but on medium and good land it would stand any amount of wind

Cupressus arizonica has been grown for some years at Lincoln College and was classed as the third choice. Unlike deodar and Thuja_it is subject to wide variation but is probably hardier and more reliable than either. Anyone planting Arizonica should see the stock in the nursery and make sure of getting a good dense leafed bushy type. Of deciduous trees the Lombardy poplar undoubtedly has a place— either trimmed or allowed to go tree. One excellent belt was grown from rooted cuttings planted 3ft apart and, in the opinion of members, would have been even better as close as 18in... The leader was cut right back every year giving a dense shelter from the bottom.

The above were regarded as suitable for fairly high single row shelter belts. For low shelter to grow untrimmed the following were considered: arbutus, Garrya elliptica, laurestinus and, of natives, flax, toi toi and matipo. While individual examples of these were found growing well under all conditions of soil and exposure, no one has yet tried them as extensive shelter—for replacement of gorse fences, for instance.

Spacing.—This really amounts to how soon you want to get complete shelter. With Deodar and Thuja there seems no reason why they should not be planted as for a hedge say 4ft apart. While the branches between the trees will be supressed, those on the paddock sides keep their foliage. Several members favoured close planting and the removal of alternate trees as the branches met. In the opinion of the writer this delays the shelter and makes the final belt wider than is necessary or desirable. This is still a matter of experiment and individual taste; but in the early suppression of competing grass and weeds close spacing has an undoubted advantage. Whether it will tend to open up the bottom shelter we will know in 40 years. Cultivation and planting.—lf a shelter belt is going to thrive in the exposed, and often dry conditions, in the area under consideration some cultivation in at least the first and second years is essential. The cost of trees and fencing is considerable and poor growth and replanting will result if there is too much competition from weeds and grasses. Deep cultivation was not recommended, as tending to instability in winds, but careful individual planting with a handful of fertiliser for each hole is necessary. Trimmed Shelter.—While the gorse fences last, the mechanical trimmer will be available and we saw excellent examples of trimmed shelter. Opinion as to whether a trimmed hedge must always “creep” out was divided but an example of a radiata hedge trimmed for 50 years was noted. General Observations.— Farm foresters are naturally enthusiastic for trees and shelter. Almost all farmers will concede the value of shelter to, stock and there is a growing realisation that high shelter must reduce surface evaporation and generally improve the growing climate of a district. The value of the shelter trees recommended here is now well proved and we can look forward to the days when they are as common on the Canterbury Plains as the radiata belt and the gorse hedge are today. But the possibilities of the world’s flora when transplanted to New Zealand are still almost untouched. Experiments by the Forest Service, the agricultural colleges and private enthusiasts may well discover varieties that will . produce the perfect shelter belt—something that will grow fast, remain dense and stop at about 30 feet.