FAST GROWTH.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 24 March 1928, Page 5

FAST GROWTH.

BUT POOR QUALITY

IMPORTANT TESTS OF TREES,

(SPECIAL TO “THE STAR.”)

WELLINGTON, Marok.23

It is a well-known fact that exotio trees grow in New Zealand much faster than m their original haoitat. This point is of importance in connection with the extensive development of afforestation in the Dominion. That rapid growth must not he too much encouraged has been demonstrated by the State Forest Service, which haia made tests of the strength and physical properties of redwood, an important variety for commercial forestry work in New Zealand.

Comparisons have been made between supeeimens of redwood; grown in New Zealand, and the same timber produced for export f-rom America, and some of the results are important in their application to afforestation. The tests lasted over a period of two years, and two classes of New Zealandgrown redwood were deaftt with. One supplv consisted of 21-year old, fastgrown redwood from a mixed, plantation of larch and redwood -growing at Whakarewarewa, near Rotorua, and another set of specimens tested came from 40-vear-old trees in a mixed stand of insignis pine and redwood growing in the Rotanical Gardens-, Wellington. Both New Zealand timbers were contrasted with American-grown redwood, with these results:—■

The fast-grown Rotorua trees gave strength values very much below those of American redwood. While the rate of growth was ten times as fast as that of the. American trees, the main strength values worn only one-sixth of the American. The Wellington trees, grown more slowly, -proved under test that this variation in conditions had an important influence on their usevaluie, the Wellington specimens, twice as old, -and twice as -slowly grown as the Rotorua material, proving under test to be almost four times as -strong, -and approxiating two-thirds of the strength of the- American specimens. . These results have set out in an official bulletin from the State Forest service, and the conclusions noted are: ‘The results obtained from the Pjooallyerenvn rpdwood prove that unless the sivicu'ltura-1 conditions -are correctly regulated a very inferior class of timber will he produced. If. however, the conditions of growth -are satisfactory, it has been proved that a timber can he produced having very .'similar properties to the valuable American iredwood of commerce.” - *

DISPOSAL OF TROTTING STOCK

Immediately following: the two days’ meeting of the Hawera Trotting Club at Easter, .one of the biggest dispersal sales of trotting stock and certainly the most important -so far held an the Dominion. is to be conducted by Messrs Wright, Stephenson and Co., Ltd,, in conjunction with the Farmers’ Co-op-erative. Organisation Society of N.Z-, Ltd., on behalf of the well-known Hawera owner and breeder, Mr J. R-. Corrigan. Mr Corrigan’s successes are particularly well known, for during the past ten years he has won stakes to a tota- 1 of over £30,000, and that period covers one season in which- -he did not race, and another season when he had one representative racing only. Despite this. Mr Corrigan’s winnings exceed those of any other owner racing during the same period by at least £SOOO. , As might be expected, a man who has been so successful an owner and breeder ha-s now in ihi-s old-established stud a particularly"jbigh-elaes collection of trotting and pacing -st-ock. His team, in training, and in the stud now comprises 51 head, -and the whole of ties! are to lie offered at his sal© on,Tuesday. April 10. There a-re 30 youngsters all told to be dispensed of, and the quality of these is indicated • by the fact* that there are clo-se relatives to such, noted nerformers as Great- Bingen, Great Hone, Taraire, Ahuri-ri and the American three-venr-old record-breaker, Mr MeElwvn, 1.39§. ■ These are a- few o-nlv of the famous champions and! noted net-formers on the New Zealand! and Australian turf of which blood relatives -are to he -sold. The -sale is one that is hound to crea-t great interest amongst owners and "breeders.