25

C—lb

NUMBER AND VARIETIES OF TREES PLANTED IN THE SOUTH ISLAND.

APPENDIX D. FOREST DISEASES AND THEIR RELATION TO AFFORESTATION. [By A. H. Cockayne, Biologist, Department of Agriculture.] Introduction. "The welfare of the human race is closely connected with that of our trees, and any work looking to their better protection makes for the advancement of mankind. , ' —Felt. The adequate conservation of trees from their insect and fungoid enemies constitutes one of the most important branches of modern forestry. This science of forest pathology is of quite recent origin. and each year its importance in the economy of timber-production is being more dearly recognized. At the present time many European countries, India, and the United States —in fact, all countries with efficient forest services—pay special attention to the diseases of forests. Clearly do they recognize that the keeping of the trees healthy is one of (he most important of all the problems of Eorest-mam meut. nor do they hesitate to expend large sums annually to this end. So fat , , no attention has been paid in New Zealand to forest pathology, bul the study of the diseases that are liable to become serious is a matter to which, sooner or later, earnest consideration must lie given. The two most potent factors that arc apt to cause the wholesale destruction of the lures' air fires and diseases. The terrible significance of the former is clearly appreciated even by the layman. The destructive effects of fire are so rapid and so apparent, as they are naturally regarded as the most serious of all menaces to successful extensive tree-culture. On the other hand, the effects of disease are. in general, rather slow in action, and their insidious effects arc often passed over unnoticed until it becomes too late to apply remedial methods. Nevertheless, the cumulative efieel of diseases in the forest is admitted by experts to be even more disastrous than lire. In the national forests of the United States the loss due to insects

4—C. Ib.

Name of Tree. . Common Name. KrttaS. Uses to which TimhiT may !»■ put. Acer pseudo-platanus .. . . Sycamore .. 280,400 ., saccharum . . .. Sugar-maple . . ."{,+2.1 Aesoulus hippooastanum .. Horse-chestnut .. 2,025 Alnus glutinosa .. .. Alder .. .. , 82,730 Betula alba .. .. .. English birch .. 210,946 Castanea sativa .. .. Spanish chestnut .. 2.lf>d Catalpa speciosa .. .. Hardy oatalpa .. j 50 Oorylus avellana .. .. Filbert .. .. 860 < Vtisus laburnum .. .. Laburnum .. lii.ST.l Eucalypti (vara.) .. .. (Jums .. .. 4,260 Fagus sylvatica .. .. English beech .. J 1,250 Fraxinus exoelsior .. .. „ ash . . 132,560 „ americana .. .. American ash .. i 12,860 Kriselinia littoraliR .. .. Broadleaf .. 2,350 .luglans regia .. .. .. Walnut .. .. 37,130 Larix europaea .. .. European larch .. 4,773,361 ,, leptolepis .. .. Japanese larch .. I 2,850 Picea excclsa .. .. .. Spruce fir .. 1,187,225 „ sitchensis .. .. Tidcland spruce .. 166,505 ,, canadensis .. .. White spruce .. 1,400 I'iniis austriaca .. .. Austrian pine .. 1,634,524 ,, Bonthamiana .. .. Benthaiirs pine .. ; 140,400 „ contorta .. .. Twisted pine .. 1,325 ,, halapensis .. .. Aleppo pine .. I ..'!2."> „ Jeffreyii .. .. Jeffrey pine .. 250 i „ Laricio .. .. .. Corsican pine .. 2,343,605 ,, maritima . . .. Cluster pine .. 7,000 ,, muricata .. .. Bishop's pine .. 16,440 „ ponderosa .. .. Bull pine .. H02,986 ,, radiata .. .. .. .Monterey pine .. 17,150 „ rigida .. .. .. Pitch-piiie .. 2.312 ,, atrobus .. .. .. Weymouth pine .. 10,705 ,, Torreyana .. .. Torrey's pine ..I 140 Pseudo-t.suga taxifolia .. .. Oregon pine . . 2(17,205 Populus (vars.) .. .. Poplars .. .. 17,875 I'vrus aucuparia .. .. Rowan tree .. .">. 1 !);"> Quercus pedunculate. .. .. English oak .. 376,660 Robinia pseudo-acacia .. .. Black locust .. 86,025 Salix (vara.) .. .. .. Willows ,. . . 2,000 j .Sequoia sempervirens .. .. Redwood .. 2(10 Sophora tetraptera .. .. Kowhai . . .. 1 ,875 Thuja plicata .. .. .. 1'acitic red cedar .. 2.~> rinius carapestris .. .. English elm .. 775 ; Ornamental trees and shrubs .. .. 4,747 : l'i 1 1 1 1i t ure, reels, Mocks. &c Turnerj. rollers, Furniture. Cigar-boxes, brooms, charcoal. Bobbins, clogs, staves. &<■. Fenoing, furniture. Sleepers, fenoing- poles. i !ai ring, inlaying. Polios, building construction. Piano-making, tools, furniture. < 'oach- building, tool-handles. Fencing material, building-piles. Gunstocks, furniture, &c. Fencing, pit-props, gates, &c. Moulding-poles, flooring, paper-pulp. Building construction, poles, scaffolding, joinery. Sic. Ditto. j " » Ship-masts, building material. Packing-cases, brake-blocks. Turnery, oarving. Furniture, ship-building, >V<'. Fencing, oabinetmaking, &c. Crioket-bats, charcoal. Cabinetmaking, joinery. &<■. Fencing, dowella, joinery. Shingles, fenoing, weatherboards. Pulley-blocks, wheelbarrows, &c. ♦Total .. .. .. 12,732,915 * Also r>0.000 treee in the Kaincliff Plantation, n< lot enumerated above.