Changing the countryside

Press, 31 March 1980, Page 14

Changing the countryside

In the long term, Amberley House tree nursery will be changing the face of the countryside. Its speciality will be shelter and forest trees, but smaller trees and shrubs and New Zealand natives, ranging in height ultimately from one to six metres, are listed in the new catalogue. The nursery will be open from April 1 until October 31, on weekdays, Saturday mornings and by prior arrangement, on Sundays.

There are. 200.000 pines prepared for this season. A Christchurch contract tree planter has already placed an initial order for 50,000, which is expected to be doubled later. These will all be planted in North Canterbury. There are 6000 willows and poplars, including some varieties resistant to rust and one to opossums. Doug Eaves, joint proprietor with his wife, Helen, is putting an emphasis on the eucalyptus and wattle families, offering 30 varieties, and he says there is a gap m the market, especially for shelter trees and a trend away from Pinus Radiata.

He sees a big future in specialty timbers. A new development for the South Island that is attracting attention are his polystyrene trays, containing forty trees placed in separate compartments.

Made to his order at Nelson, the trays stand on a wire frame, enabling an improved growth, rate, root freedom, and even soil temperature. ■ .

As labour handling is reduced and made . easier, it has been possible to reduce costs this season from $6O to $4O per 100 trees.

There is no additional cost for. the trays but a refund of one. dollar will be paid for those returned in good order. More than 40,000 ornamental shrubs and forest trees- have been picked out for this season, laid out in eight double rows, 3pm long. A watering system of overhead .microjets provides even coverage and is handy for liquid fertiliser as well. The proprietors want to

encourag'e their clients to order trees, then leave them at the nursery until ready to undertake planting, or until the worst frosts are over.

Doug Eaves expects that' 90 per cent of his customers will always be farmers, whose problems and conditions he understands well. He ’sees quality con-

trol as one of his biggest advantages: “I wouldn’t sell anything I wound’t plant myself.” He considers it important •to discuss clients’ needs, whether it be a selter, or tree planting programme for agriculture, horticulture or silviculture, and give lots of options. “There’s nothing worse than the wrong tree planted in the wrong place,” says Doug Eaves.