ARBORICULTURE

Marlborough Express, Volume LIV, Issue 84, 10 April 1920, Page 6

ARBORICULTURE

tAN URGENT NEE©.

[Specially written for The Express.]

Ever since time began giant forests have reared themselves aloft and disappeared! as the mighty workshop of Mature decreed—by flood, and fire and storm —to bo in turn followed by Nature's- handiwork giving food, shelter, and the means of livelihood;, and eventually down tho ages entering into the very heart of our modern industrial .system, which has in turn become the monster of -thes city, but simply a reflex of the groat forces at work (although silent) in the forests. If there is any business' older than the above, and which tho people of to-day desire the results of more, I pars-onally do not know of it. It is not with this object of becoming prosy and. unpractical that this article is written, but toi tiy and stimulate a very necessary interest in matters of aboricultare, or, in other words, the planting and cultivation of trees.

A COMMISSION,

Evidently before my joint move can bo made the powers that be have to appoint a Commission (sometimes a wise' procedure), and this was done in 19.13—-before the war—and their report was submitted to the Govern-, mont on 3rd May, 1913. Already iix forco wsxs the* State Forests Act of 19C3 which largely cams into being to conserve the forest areas already hi existence. It did, by the way, provide for,.the planting of trees and tho establishment of schools of forestry. The appointment of tho Commission was evidently to give new Hfe to the plant-in;; of trees, and especially trees to meet the immediate- and future demands of industry and to encourage, tree-planting by private individuals and local bodies.

KE9ULT3.

price irom x-he State nurseries.

(b) Government forest officers to give advice about planting. (c) la tlie- case of private proprietors, remission of taxes to be granted on a. certain percentage of the total area of an estate which has been planted to the satisfaction of the Forestry Board.

If no other results acoruo, the Commission brought forward enough evidence to show the great urgency for action in afforestation matters. The assistance, however, for such, a national matter ns iirce-plantiug is hardly adequate at this stage. A subsidy should hn available (at per acre) -to.assist boards and councils to plant available areas ta the e:;tent of t-lie> cost of preparation of tho ground.

NATIONAL. DIFORTANGE.

It is a matter oi national importance that afforestation l%e .started seriously and pushed ahead. Nothing should come in the way even if it is necessary to compel land-owners to plant areas suitable in every way for timber production There are few farmers indeed who are blind to the general interests >and who would object to assist hi every way possible an afforestation movement. It is a matter for congratulation, fis far as Maryborough, is concerned, that the local A. mnd P. Association and Farmers' Union were interested enough to call in an expert, in the person of the Rev. Mr Simmonds, raid it is to be .sincerely hoped that tho matter has not been allowed to drop the!e:. One raiser of pinus- insignia in the Nelson district donated 100 or so trees to each school in the Nelson education district, and much interest was created, along national lines, as to the importance of tree planting.

NOT AN 'EXPERIMENT.

The day for experiment is past, ami it has been shown that it has been costly. For instance, the Commissioners doubt whether larch, which seems tol occupy one-third of all plantations, will eventually form a timber tree of much valae. Herein is shown the muddle-along policy which has governed operations in th© past instead of planting proved: fast-growing varieties of nines such as the insignis, which for timber production is par excellence, and variaus eucalypts rind, poplars as fi.ro belts. But, anyhow someone must blunder in order to show tho way, and if nothing else resulted from the extensive plantiag of pin us laricio around Kotorua by prison labctr than that the barren wastes have been made picture&quo, and tike timber resulting only fit for firewood, it is infinitely bettor than tho cold meuty stara of a chairman of a board who cold-blanketed an enthusiastic aboriculturist hot many miles from Nelson. Tho timo is now when the ratepayers and electors shall ask the various candidates what steps, if any, along* tlie linos of tree planting will they take if elected. Tho reason why is not far to seek when it-can' he shown that the large unproductive areas of lands will pr<K duca revenue which will go> far toi, if noifc altogether, wipe out tho rates which are the bugbear of a. number of settlers and ><n over-increasing charge on inSusfcry. If a slogan is necessary, I would offer one, and it is this: Plant, trees and plant them quick.'