AFFORESTATION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5668, 12 September 1896, Page 4

AFFORESTATION.

• ♦ .. — Tree : planting over the greater part of New Zealand has been confined to putting in a few bluegums or pinus insignis as shelter to homesteads, with here and there a macrocarpa fence to protect a more than usually prized garden. The production of timber has scarcely entered into the thought of the settlers. Even the permanence of the shelter has not been considered in the varieties of trees planted, for 1 both the pines and the macrocarpa are comparatively short-lived trees. It is matter for regret that practical arboriculture was not promulgated among the early settlers; had they received instruction in that science how different would have been the aspect of the Canterbury Plains to-day! There are, happily, some examples of skilful planting, of which the plantations of Mr Adams, at Greendale, are at once the most instructive and the most successful. The Government has from time to time been called upon to establish experimental nurseries for the purpose of ascertaining what trees were adapted to particular soil and climate. This, so far as tho Canterbury plains are concerned, has been done by Mr Adams, to some extent as a hobby, but mainly as a work which he was convinced was of very great importance to himself and others occupying land in need of shelter. Hundreds of varieties of trees, from the four quarters of the globe, have been planted or raised from seed at Greendale, and Mr Adams has now, besides a magnificent collection of trees, an unequalled fund of information as to suitable and — what is almost equally valuable — unsuitable varieties, of trees for planting for shelter, timber or ornamental purposes. It would be quite out of the question to attempt to describe the Greendale plantations in the space at our command. We are sure Mr Adams does not wish to bury his talent in the earth, and we would suggest that . there could be no more valuable appendix to ' the forestry report, which the Victorian conservator, Mr Perrin, is about to furnish, than an account of Mr Adams's experiments. There can scarcely be a settler on the plains who would not plant shelter belts of trees on his holding did he but know what varieties could be looked to as fairly certain to thrive. Very many homesteads are bare, for the reason that unsuitable trees were planted about them and perished before wind, drought or frost. The experience of nearly a quarter of a century is available at Greendale, and the plantations there afford an object lesson that can be found nowhere else in New' Zealand. The spirit which inspired such a work will not prompt the withholding ' of the results from those who might benefit by them, and we feel sure that :no one would be more pleased than Mr' Adams to have his aJx>ricultural experiencestpubushed for ' ; \