Instructive Bulletin Compiled On Use Of Willows And Poplars

Wanganui Chronicle, 26 June 1948, Page 3

Instructive Bulletin Compiled On Use Of Willows And Poplars

(S.K.) Marton, June 24. An instructive booklet, describing the best methods for using willows and poplars for controlling rivers and preventing soil erosion has been issued in the form of a bulletin by the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Council. Copies were before the Kangitikei Catchment Board at me monthly meeting today and the bulletin was clescrwed by the chairman, ivir K. A. Williams (Marton) and other ooard members as an excelled. publication. ihe council advised ths hoard that 200 copies had been forwarded lor distribution in the Rangitikei catchment district, but because of the paper shortage the bulletins should oe restricted to persons requiring technical advice. Following a discussion, it was decided that board members prepare lists of owners and occupiers ol land to whom the bulletin would be of most use, after which copies will be mailed to them by the secretary. Copies will also be available on application, though it was pointed out tnat the supply was limited. . The chairman said that the booklet contained much valuable iniormatio. to farmers and gave some very useful directions. “The council is to be congratulated on bringing out such an excellent publication, wnich fills a long-lelt want,’ said Mr. A. P. Howard. “The bulletin is valuable, not only from, our point of view, but also to farmers makinguse of these trees for protective works.” Speaking of the distribution of the bulletins, Mr. A. D. Mair said that 25.000 copies had been printed, and board did not want to fritter them away. He suggested that copies should be sent to larmers with property along the banks of rivers. Mr. Howard said that so far as the planting of trees was concerned hillcountry farmers were also concerned. The bulletin was compiled by the late Mr A. P. Grant, when ne was engineer to the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Council, and Mr. G. R. Fenton, forestry liaison officer to the council. In a preface, the chairman of the council, Mr. W. L. Newnham, states that the bulletin was compiled in response to the need for a simple guide to the identification and use of the more common willows and poplars so far introduced into New Zealand. It did not pretend to be complete to the extent that all species known in New Zealand were described, or that all possible uses were covered. “It is, however, hoped that this bulletin will serve to stimulate interest in and discriminating use of, the various species in this group of trees so important to the farm economy of New Zealand,” Mr. Newnham adds. “During the compilation of this uvi letin it has become more ana more apparent that our knowledge of the species and their uses in New Zealand is very limited and sketchy. With a view to remedying these defects in future publications, it as hoped that all those using willows and poplars will let us have their experience. together with specimens of the leaves and flowers of the various species.” Because the present work was incomplete, both in the number of species described and in individual descriptions of species, it was obvious that identification of the less common and aberrant forms could not be tackled by the layman using the bulletin; rather should they be forwarded to Wellington for identification. In the production of this work an effort was made to produce a selfcontained publication, as free as possible from technical terms, and an introduction for those who wished to pursue the subject further. To this end a small bibliography and a page of sketches illustrating the differences between and the salient features of willows and poplars had been incorporated.