The Times. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST S, 1938. A Million Trees

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 181, 3 August 1938, Page 4

The Times. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST S, 1938. A Million Trees

Tiio Foxton Harbour Board is contemplating tlie planting of 1,000,000 trees on its send-dune reserves about the Manawatu Heads. Mention of such a figure as one million conjures up thoughts of an astronomical nature. And indeed, when the possibilities are explored, the venture shows promise of astronomical returns.

Much is said of the man who can make two blades of grass grow where one grew before, but just as fine a feat is the growing of an oak from an acorn, or a magnificent pine forest on a stretch of worthless sand-dunes.

If planted at the rate of 1200 per acre, one million trees would cover the greater part of 1000 acres. Of this area over 800-odd acres would bo in solid planting and the balance in fire breaks and service lanes. Such a planting at £5 an acre would cost around £4OOO. What are the prospective returns from such an expenditure 2 A yield of 50,000 feet per acre may be reasonably anticipated under sound forestry management. Thus a cutting of 40,000,000 feet is in prospect. At a modest royalty of 3s a 100 feet, this crop would be worth £60,000. Not all of this would be profit, of course, for time is of importance in forestry. Experience would indicate that 35 years must pass before the crop would be grown. In that time interest upon invested capital and attention to the plantations would have built the original cost up to about £30,000. Even so, the nett return is still a handsome one, probably £30,000. It would appear that the Harbour Board has every prospect of establishing, for a modest expenditure, an asset that would return it a clear nett income in the vicinity of £IOOO per annum. A splendid local industry could be built up—sawmilling employing permanent hands and turning out over 1,000,000 feet of timber a year in perpetuity—an asset both to the board and the district.

Heartiest congratulations are offered to . the Foxton Harbour Board upon this proposal as it would be establishing forestry in the right place, that is, adjacent to a thicklypopulated consuming area. The “Times” has for several years strongly advocated this project as a needed forestry policy; to grow the timber where it is needed, not away up in the middle of the North Island, remote from population.