FARM FORESTRY.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLI, Issue XLI, 15 October 1921, Page 3

FARM FORESTRY.

(Being tho basis of a lectnro delivered by Mr, J. M. Pago, N.Z. Forestry Division, at Otakeho on Saturday night lust.) The phase of forestry of most interest to settlers is tree planting for shelter, firewood, and timber for farm purposes, but it is necessary to touch on matters relating to our native forests to bring home tho urgency of an active forest policy in the Dominion. Not only is out native forest the most beautiful in the world, but it also contains many valuable species of timber trees, including the kauri, which is admittedly the finest soft wood in the world. These native forests are rapidly being destroyed and the country denuded of | cover, to the detriment of the surrounding districts ami loss to the Dominion. In the past settlement had to be provided for. and much of this waste was unavoidable, but large reservations should have been made to provide timber for the future, to conserve and regulate the flow of streams and rivers, for protection purposes, and to preserve the fertility of the soil. Had there been a forest policy in New Zealand this would have been provided for, but unfortunately it was not until the Forest Service was established, about two years ago, that anything was done in the matter, and it will, not be possible io carry out many reforms' until settlers and the eeneral public realise what modern forestry ;neans to them and their country. The object of forestry is to discover *nd apply tho principles according to ivhich forests are best managed. It is listinct from aboriculture, which deals with individual trees. Forestry has to lo with single trees only as they stand together on some large area whose principal crop is trees, and therefore fotms part of a forest. To accomplish this a forest policy ie required, and years of research work will haye to be carried out before sufficient data is available to speak authoritatively on the regeneration of our native forests. Tree planting is ah important factor in a forest policy for New Zealand, but many other matters must be taken.into consideration when launching a poUcy which is to provide confidence and security in every legal and commercial phase, to industry and public alike, and to obtain this is the objective of the Forest Service. FOREST EXTENSION WORK. In connection with forest extension work, the following may be defined as the four broad, general principles of the forest service:—(l) To obtain an appreciation by the public of what forestry means to them and a knowledge of what they want: (2) tne development by public bodies of a real, practical, and vital interest in and participation in the business of "tree growing; (3) the extension of co-operation between the State and the individual in stimulating private forestry j (4) the provision for means of diffusing forest knowledge by the Forest Service. Now it will be asked, and rightly so, why is the Forest Service so anxious to do this. Well, w© look to tho settlers and municipal bodies to provide 33 per cent, of the future timber supplies of the Dominion, and the only way to accomplish this will be by helping and encouraging settler^ to plant trees, to assist them with advice, to see that only suitable trees are planted in the different localities, and that only the best types are planted. To advise on the best and cheapest methods of planting, by supplying the most suitable species of forest trees at as low a cost as possible, and by following thie right up with a free and friendly supervision of these plantations, which will not only prove an advantage to the settler, but to the State also. At the present time the Forest Service has only a very limited amount of data on which to base its recommendations in many districts, and will have to rely on local information for weather conditions, frequency of frosts, rainfall, etc., and until such time as accurate information in connection with these local weather conditions can be obtained mistakes may be made, but, by i observing the trees already growing in the district and by gathering firsthand information in the localities visited, it is hoped to keep the percentage of mistakes at a very low figure. The range of climate in the Dominion is very wide, and, although a man may be an expert in his own district "it is not to be expected that he can be absolutely certain where the conditions are quite different until much more data is available. Much of the high country in the Dominion, which should have remained in permanent forest, has been denuded of cover, with the inevitable result— droughts and floods—which will continue, to the detriment of progress and severe loss to all classes, until settlers and the general public appreciate what forestry means to them and the welfare of their country. The early settlers foresaw the absolute necessity for shelter, and ulanted trees about their homesteads, also shelter belts and plantations on their farms, and had this excellent p example been followed by those who came after them the* severity of the late drought would not have been felt so much to-day in Hawke'e Bay and

other parts of the Dominion. With land at the high' price it now is and v falling stock market, settlers muefc do all in their power to increase tho production capacity of their holdings, and one of the most important factoni in this is shelter. Shelter belts will break up the drying south-west winds which usually follow rain, thus conserving tho moisture in the ground, as well as affording protection for stock. But this is not all, trees growing in large blocks have a great influence on atmospheric conditions, and are conductive to rainfall. Over and above all these advantages tree growing for timber purposes is v sounu business proposition, and the Forest Service fs out to assist the settler in this work. We often hear it said that Aniorick can supply all the timber we shall require after our native forests have been destroyed, but this is absolutely wrong, and in the United States the-' scarcity of timber is recognised by lumbermen and foresters alike, who forsee a timber famine within the next forty years if drastic measures are not taken at once. Owing to the lato groat war, forestry has received a great pctback, and all the Western European countries, with thu exception of Norway and Russia, will hAVo to import more timbei for many years to come, and, although Canada may have timber for export, and tho forests in Siberia and Brazil are opened up, New Zealand, owing to its geographical position, will not be ablo to compete with the European countries, except at a cost which would make timber prohibitive foi most purposes. Our Dominion is particularly adapted to the growing of timber, and settlers are urged to undertake the planting of treea aa a bufiiness < proposition. Every farm should have its wood lot and every municipal body should h:ivo its reserve for the growing of timber for its own nurposee and for salo wherejuver possible, and the sooner this is understood by the public the bettor it will be for the whole community. Having decided to plant trees, the first thing is to select a site. This will depend mostly on whether the trees are for shelte* only or for tho growth of timber. If for shelter purposes only, they are usually planted on tho fence lines and spaced about 16 feet apart. However, if tho object is to provide v timber crop the trees should be planted in wide belts or compact bloous and spaced six feet apart each way, with tho exception of the CupressusMncrncarpa, which should be planted not more than four feet apart. On nearly every farm there is a rough or poor area which will pay better under plantation tnan for grassing purposes.. 'i'nni is where the plantation should b« It id out. For farm purposes, eucalyptus will probably be found the most useful, and, if wire is taken and only the species suitable for the district are planted, there is no reason why any farmer should not become a successful grower of these valuable fcifces. t Kecommended for any district in the North Island—Eucalyptus AlacarthuH: .fast-growing, hardy, suitable for temperate localities. One ot the easiest to transplant. Timber easily split and very durable in contact with the ground Eucalyptus Viminalist: Rapid and tall growing; hardy; one of the easiest species to transplant; timber easily split and moderately durable in contact with the ground^ ( The. following are recommended for experimental purposes only, except in districts subject to only slight frosts.— Eucalyptus JSugenicides: A moderately frost-resistant tree; does well in the >\ aikato, but not suitable for the high inland localities. Timber easily split and durable in contact with the ground; valuable for fencing rails, flooring boards, railway sleepers, street paving blocks, and general building purposes. Eucalyptus Fastigata: Tall, rapidgrowing, and hardy tree; timber not durable m contact with' ground; splits eaeily, and suitable for general building purposes and fencing rails. Eucalyptus Gigantea: This tree is also known as Encalyptus Delegatensis: reputed to bcua very hardy tree, suitable for colder inland districtj timber easily split; suitable for fencing and valuable for buildlnK purposes and furniture making. Eucalyptus Muelleriana: Moderately frost-enduring; likely to succeed in all but the high inland localities of the North Isand; a very valuable and durable timber; suitable for fencing, railway sleepers, whaitf and general building purposes. Eucalyptus Obliqua: A quick, large-growing, and hardy tree; suitable for most localities except where frosts are frequent and severe; somewhat tender in the juvenile stage; timber splits easily and is euitable for building purposes, furniture, and fence rails; not durable in contact with ground. Eucalyptus Ovata: A moderately fast growing and hard? tree; timber hard and strong; durability in contact with ground not known, but may be regarded as valuable for building purposes and fence rails. Eucalyptus liegnans: Hardy, tall-growing tree ; timber not considered durable in contact with the ground, but is easily split and valuable for rails and fencing battens. In districts where tne temperature does not fall below »28 degrees F. the following valuable species may bo planted in addition to all the above. — .Eucalyptus Botryoides: In the warm districts this is a fast growing, useful tree. Should not be planted in localities where the winter temperature goes below 28 degrees. Very durable timber. Eucalyptus Pilularis: Large grow- - ing tree, suitable for wanner parts of the North Island. Timber very durable; suftable for house and bridgebuilding, wood paving, bridge planking, etc. Eucalyptus Saligna: Does best in moist soils and warm localities, and will not tolerate more than about fotir degrees of frost. Timber durable; used for shipt-building, wheelwrights* purposes, paying blocks, and housebuilding. Eu'calpytus Sieberiana: Moderately hardy, erect, fast and tall growing tree; seedlings are sensitive to frost and not easily transplanted. Timber pale pink colour; not easily split; suitable for fence rails or for indoor carpentry. For timber purposes the following are recommended:—Pinus Muricata: An excellent shelter tree, seldom exceeding 50 feet in height; suitable over a wide range and. particularly valuable in coastal districts where salt-laden winds are injurious to more tender species. Pinus Ponderosa: Tall, moderately fast growing pine; suitable for a very wide range of climatic and soil conditions, but not satisfactory where conditions are very dry; not particularly good shelter; should be grown in regularly and closely planted blocks m order to produce clean timber, which is very valuable for carpentry and general building purposes. Pinus Radiata: A well-known tree, more generally recognised under the name of Pinus Insignis; a very hard % tree, providing excellent shelter; suitable for almost all localities, and one of the few trees that can be grown satisfactorily when subjected to saline winds. The timber, which seasons well, is soft and not durable in the ground unless treated with, preservatives f if the trees are grown in dense masses a clean timber is produced, which is well suited for making fruit cases and will probably be found most satisfactory for fami buildings and dwellings so long as it is kept above ground and well painted Pseudo-svga Douglasii (Douglas firOregon pine): This splendid tree thrives best where the soil and atmospheric con ditions are moist; where conditions ar< \

warm and dry it is liable to1 attacks of rod spider and thrip. Tall, fast, and erect-growing; excellent shelter tree; planted in solid blocks, it produces long cylindrical poles. Timber somewhat coarso grained, strong, and has a wide range of usefulness in carpentry and general construction works. VSequois Semporvirens (Redwood of California): A handsome, tall, and rapid growing tree; does best in sheltered valieyw where the soil is moist and rich. Timber of very high merit for joinery work, durable and ornamental. For shelter purposes all the above will be found valuable, but the following two1 species are specially recommended:—Uupressus Laweoniana: An Excellent, somewhat slow-growing, and ornamental tree; well suited tor low shelter belts, hedges, for orchards or near dwellings; does best in moist soils; it is hardy except in the high inland localities where the frosts are severe; s .nds trimming well. Cupressus Maerctv m: "Well known as a shelter tree; axA-hved on very dry soil; one of the best trees for growing near the sea coast; timber durable in contact with the ground, and eaeily split. Tree of very branching habit* and should be closely planted m wide belts to produce clean, (straight trunks. Cupressus Maerocarpa. is also an excellent tree tv plant for fencing posts, especially in districts where Eucalypts do not thrive owing to saline winds. i The average cost of clearing,' pitting, I end planting an acre is about £3, except when planting at 4ft: intervals, when it will be £5. Number '■ of trees ' per acre: 6ft.,x 6ft,, 1210, say 1300;! iit. x 4ft.j 2722, say 2800. Total cost i l>fcr acre: 1300 trees at 80s per "iwx/i £5 48, as above £3, total cost £8 4s; ? 1300 trees at 50s per 1000 £3' os, ut> j aJHJve £a, total cost £Q &s j 2SOO tree& i &v 80s per 1000 £11 4s, as above £o, I total cost £lb' 4s; 2600 trees at 50s per 1000 £7, as above £5, total cost ijl'A. Intimated yield per acre: P. itadiata, 33 year period at os per 100 ft., £000 per I aci*; i>ougia.sii, 60 year periott at jlOs 1 per 100 ft., £1000 per acre, Jtuueinypvo, 33 year period, £so\> to £1000 per acre. itie attention of fanners, is directed to an article in the N,Z. Journal or i Agriculture of June, iy2l; entitled: '."x'txe Propagation of Forest Trees," by : H. A. Goudie, Conservator, State jboresc j Service, Motorua, which contains much • valuable information in connection with ' the raising of ■ forest trees from seed. ; Tne pncb list published by the fetate iNuxsery, Rotorua, also contains many ; valuable hints on tree planting, etc., ! and will bo found extremely useful to settlers. "I do not think we should play second fiddle to anybody, ■as we are the most important body in the community,'' remarked the president of the New Zealand Farmers' Union (Mr. W. J. Poison) at a meeting of the Dominion executive of the union in Wellington. ; "Is it proposed that the general subscription to th© Farmers' Union shall be a pound?'' asked a delegate to the Farmers' Union Conference in .Wellington. "It is," replied the president (Mr. W.tJ. Poison); "a waitress pays £2 ss, a watersider £3 ss, and if it is put to a farmer in the right way everyone will pay. We expect a pound from him, and we will-give him service for it, but he must get rid of the old idea that this is a sort of glorified totalisator, to enable him to put 10s in the slot and to draw out £10 in jnanure bonuses.'' ' "The Board of Agriculture will never be satisfactory until it is more repre-N sentative of the farming community," remarked Mr. W. J. Poison, president of the New Zealand Farmers' Union, at this week's meeting of the Dominion executive of the union. The Farmers' J Union, said Mr. Poison, represented all classes of farmers, and it should have adequate representation on the board. Intimation was received by the executive from the Minister of Agriculture (the Hon. W. Nosworthy) that the present method of nominating mem. bers was laid down by the Board of Agriculture Act, and consequently could not be altered except by Parliament. ] The present board's term of ofiiee would not expire until 1923, and the question of whether the present method should be altered before the next election of the board would be considered in the meantime. Our Manaia correspondent writes: Messrs A. and J. O'Donnell are to be congratulated on the purchase of the high-class Jersey yearling bull Viola's Golden Noble, bought at the North Taranalci breeders' sale for 220 guineas. Viola's Golden Noble was bred by the well-knov.n Jersey breeder, Mr. E. Griffiths, of New Plymouth,, and was born on October 7,; 1921, and is sired by the famous line bred Golden Lad t bull, Viola's Golden Laddie (imp.), whose stodk are bringing record prices, 200 guineas being got for calves and "up to 400 guineas for two-year-old heifers. 1 Noble Queen Bess, the, dam of this young bull, is a grand-daughter of Mercedes' Noble Queen, who was a prizewinner over Jersey Island and was pur- \ chased' by Mr. Lloyd, of Melbourne. I Her official record is 629 lb of fat in i 273 days. Mr. Griffiths has booked the • service of three heifers to this young • bull. Another valuable bull at the same ' sale was purchased by Mr. Geo. Cowli ing, of Manaia, for 210 guineas. He is 3 by Holly Bank Squire, a son of The . Squire (imp.) from Aster's Bilberry, - whose record is 634 lb of fat., and his 3 dam is Lady Peggy, who has a record - of 725 lb of fat. i