The Timaru Herald MONDAY, AUGUST 24, 1908. NEW ZEALAND FORESTS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13680, 24 August 1908, Page 4

The Timaru Herald MONDAY, AUGUST 24, 1908. NEW ZEALAND FORESTS.

Last week the Department of Lands forwarded the annual report dealing with New Zealand forests—a matter which the Under-Secretary for Lands rightly calls an important subject. Now that the eonlentu of our forests can have the footrule put over them, it is stated with a good deal of confidence that within Hie short; span of half a century the present noble forests of the colony will be- completely cut out so far as milling-timber is concerned. This estimate is leased on careful calculations by experts, on a basks of the existing increasing rate of consumption. It can also be noted as of even mure peculiar interest, that the lines of life in respect to kauri, one of our most) valuable timbers, can be ui'Ji'a sharply drawn; and in relation to this the report lays stress on the fact ilia I the most notable feature of tlie year 1 :-.s been the displacement of thus Umber fur general purposes by the use of commoner kinds, such as rimu, totaia, etc. With a circle drawn round our forests, and every year showing a, startling compression of the ring, New Zealand has to face a problem that has for yeans claimed the serious attention of much older countries, such as the United States, Indni, and France. The day has in fact arrived when we Lave to face the pressing neel of conservation and afforestation, to pre • serve audi regulate the supply of timber and to plant all laud available with trees that will thrive and in their turn become useful. The scheme for conservation l-as three important reasons for wide accepStauce. Briefly summed up these reasous are industrial, climatic, and protection against soil-denudation. The Lands Department intend to carry the scheme out in a thorough manner, and will see that destruction does not go on at too rapid a. rate, and that more care shall be taken with young growth in our foi'ttsts. These objects are must, praiseworthy, and must appeal to all who look at timber country cither from a sentimental or a utilitarian point.of view. The.lime for regrets at wanton, or at least rule of thumb cutting 0.4. ,of forests has gone; all wo- cun donow is to so'regulate future supplies that as little as possible lihall go on the scrap I heap. As to afforestation, we have for some years now periodically referred io the excellent work 'that has and is being done by the Chief Forester and his staff. The branch of the report dealing with this for the year records still further successes. Five of the State nurseries did splendid work, but two others, owing to the very dry summer, had a very bad time', trees up to five years old being killed. The operations were so disappointing at omj of these (Dumgree in southern Marlborough) that work there has been abandoned. However, the majority of successes were beyond expectation; and it is also very eatisfactory In learn that the Department is raising the most suitable classes of timber trees, suited, to tJie varied soils and climatic conditions obtaining at the various State plantations. Of these there are seven, and a hint) fa given that another may be in operation in the near future, w'hera special attention can be given to the cultivation of trees that are indigenous to the colony. At present more atteu•tion is given to imported than to native varieties, and these may 'lie sound lilies to work upon, seeing that iiiore care is being taken in protecting the young trees of our-forests. We, in South Canterbury, know what treeless plains" are, but can nevcrthelesfi join earnestly with our friends of Otago, Westland, and other fa-, voured forest areas in wishing 'the Luhd? Department every success in. their endeavours at conservation and afforestation.