FOREST TREE PLANTING: ITS VALUE AND PROFITS.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume XXI, Issue 1066, 8 May 1890, Page 3

FOREST TREE PLANTING: ITS VALUE AND PROFITS.

TO THE EDITOR. Sm, —There is 110 country where tree planting on an extensive scale is more needed than here. We li\e in an almost treeless land, and it behoves us to bestir ourselves and remedy this natural defect. It is not enough'that large numbers of trees should bis planted out upon the forest reserves : such operations are too localised to effect much general climatic good. There ought to be clumps, belts, rows and mosses all over the counly, around our gardens and our fields. Every landowner, whether he be a squatter, farmer or small holder, should make up his mind to plant trees upon his property if he desires to secure the permanent prosperity of this the laud of our adoption. It matters not what some sceptics may say to the contrary; it has now been fully and effectually demonstrated beyond doubt that trees are Nature's grand regulators of the physical economy of the globe, and hence that througn them the rainfall and climate of a country are affected for good or evil according "to the amount of arborious verdure which it possesses ; and, such being the case, I would earnestly impress upon all landholders in the County to practically recognise the fact by plantin? trees upon their land. Every individual of this community should plant trees—the.more the better ; but even.the planting of asingb? tree is better than not planting at all. No doubt planting is attended with expense, but it is insignificant compared with the great returns ten or iwentj years after wards. For planting 1000 acres with suitable trees at (ij feet apart will cost about £3OOO, or including interest for 20 years say £IO,OOO. The number of trees on 1000 acres at the above di.stanee is 1,031,000, wliieh even lit. the very lowest value, after allowing forall defects, taking the value at 3s per tree in -20 years hence, would give a return of £154,050. —I am, Arboriculturist.