CHANGING A CLIMATE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11253, 4 July 1922, Page 3

CHANGING A CLIMATE

WHAT TREE-PLANTING WILL DO. An American botanist and forestry expert, who recently visited Australia, considers that the dry conditions so prevalent over very large arras in tho Commonwealth can be completely eliminated bv the plant-inc* of pine-trees (stator the current “Forest Scrviie Newsletter”). v Tho various species of eucalyptus, which comprise the major part of Australia’s forests, are great «abserbers of moisture, while the rever-s applies to all trees of the pino species. The Commonwealth has vast areas within its borders where copious rainfall is experienced, and if these areas wore liberally planted with pines they could be easily and cheaply transformed to conditions of permanent fertility. The pine retains the moisture from, rainfall and allows it to percolate into the soil without absorbing it, thus desert conditions would he readily eliminated, a necessary and commercially profitable supply of timber would bo produced, and the climate of the areas concerned be rendered softer and more equable, all within a span of 20 or 30 years.