COMMERCIAL FORESTRY

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 7, 8 July 1931, Page 13

COMMERCIAL FORESTRY

Mr. K. Robinson, director of Sehvyn Plantation Board's forests, reports adverse weather conditions as affecting the plantations in various localities; rainfall had been scanty and certain varieties of young trees in shallow dry areas. Of the 254,756 trees which, were dispatched from Darfield nursery -to board reserves, public bodies, etc., some 195,525 were used in extending the board's plantations by 429 acres. Without affecting planting proposals it was possible to distribute at an approximate raising cost some 59,231 trees to public bodies and others. So far, a ready sale had been found for ease and building timber, while care had been exercised in accumulating only a quantity of firewood that might be readily disposed of in the city. The demand for fruit and packing cases had exceeded that experienced in any previous year. ' • i The effect of installing electric power was noticeable by the rapid accumulation of slabwood, some 300 cords of which were now in hand. An effort was being made to introduce quick sawing in the hope of being able to profitably transport pine slab blocks direct to the consumer in Christchurch. • Some hundreds of acres of timber ot all ages and conditions were ready for the axe. Wattles in various stages were growing over 450 acres of land, and there was no reason why they should not compete favourably with the Australian and South African product for. tanning purposes in a few years' time. .