FARM FORESTRY.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 54, Issue 4, 20 April 1937, Page 193

FARM FORESTRY.

T. E. Rodda,

Manager, Ruakura Farm of Instruction, Hamilton.

Adequate shelter, shade, and timber plantations are extremely valuable on a farm. Shelter is necessary on a farm for the protection of stock, pastures, and crops. Perhaps the most important point in this connection is the protection of the surface of the ground from the effects of harsh, drying winds. This is particularly noticeable on western and southern slopes in early spring. Grass pastures are to a large extent dependent on the moisture held in the surface layers of the soil, and wellsheltered fields do not lose as much moisture by evaporation as ones exposed to the full force of the wind. Shelter is also very necessary for live-stock during cold and wet weather. Less food is required by stock to maintain their body temperature when sheltered than when exposed to cold winds. Shelter is also required for ewes lambing where the spring weather is apt to be cold. Shade for stock is very desirable during the hot summer weather. Dairy cows especially benefit from shade, and milk better where shade is provided. Sheep and lambs revel in shade, and lambs being raised for export come to maturity much quicker. Shade is also essential for successful pig-raising, a phase of pig-farming that many farmers do not appear to have realized when laying out their yards. Good fencing posts, battens, and rails are becoming, in most places, very expensive. Waste parts of the farm can be very profitably planted in quickly growing timber-trees that will yield quite good returns. Plantations and hedges add immensely to the appearance of the farm and the countryside. Indeed the value and beauty of the farm can be increased by an inestimable amount by well-organized and judicious shelter-planting. No hard and fast rule can be laid down in respect to the varieties of trees to plant for shelter. This is a purely local matter and must be governed by information gained through observing the varieties that do well in any particular district. Consideration must also be given at the outset to the result required —whether shelter only, or both shelter and timber. The practice of planting trees in single lines, with few exceptions, is ineffective unless the farmer is prepared to maintain them by systematic topping and trimming of the sides. . . '

Unless topped and trimmed many single rows of trees such as Pinus vadiata, Cupressus macrocarpa, &c., become bare about their trunks, and heavily side-branched above. Shelter such as this cannot stop the ground wind, but causes draughts, and stock are better in the open than

near such belts. Excellent trees, for single-row planting, provided they are protected from stock, are Cupressus Lawsoniana, CupressusBenthamii, Hakea saligna, and Pinus radiata. These trees are all the better if they are topped when they reach a height of 12 ft., and cut back every year or every second year thereafter. It is also better to shorten side branches. This topping and trimming takes time, but it. is time well spent. General Notes on Shelter-plants. The following notes give brief information about well-known shelterplants : Cupressus Lawsoniana, recommended for soils of a free nature and. well-drained alluvial land. Does not flourish in heavy water-logged land or clay land that is inclined to be wet during the winter. For hedges (intended to be trimmed) plant 3 ft. apart. For tall breakwinds plant 6 ft. to 7 ft. apart. Plant two-year-old trees. Cupressus Benthamii.— much faster-growing tree than Lawsoniana, Will grow in all soils where Lawsonianas thrive, and will stand moisten soil conditions. Not quite so good as Lawsoniana for the production of a closely trimmed hedge. For tall shelter plant 6 ft. to 7 ft. apart. Pinus radiata,— of the fastest-growing trees. Will grow in most soils and situations. If desired for a tall hedge, must be trimmed, annually. Hakea saligna. Does well in heavy clay lands, particularly the gum. lands that lie wet in winter. Recommended for such places as the clay lands around Auckland, North' Auckland, Te Kauwhata, &c. Alsodoes well on the Waihi Plains. Apparently does not do really well' on limestone country. , Plant 3 ft. apart. Requires rough trimming once a year to keep it in order. Acacia verticillata. Will do well in clay country and especially that overlying limestone. Plant 1 ft. 6 in. apart in late August or September so as to escape any frost for the first year. Keep well trimmed after the first season's growth. This hedge will attain a height of 4 ft. 6 in. in two years. It makes a good cattle hedge, but is not recommended for sheep-farms owing to the spines or prickles becoming embedded in the sheep's wool. Barberry (Seedless Variety). —Makes a good hedge on almost any soil and in most situations, Must be trimmed annually to keep it in order. Plant 1 ft. 6 in. apart. - *■ - African Boxthorn. — Recommended for planting as a stock-hedge near the coast where other hedge-plants will not grow. Trim annually,, and be careful to burn all trimmings to minimize the danger of injury to the feet of cattle. The planting of main shelter-belts to arrest bad winds is a totally different matter, and requires more consideration on the part of the planter. In this case single-row planting is never altogether satisfactory. At least four rows of mixed trees are recommended. A first-class belt can be made up as follows : Two rows of Pinus muricata planted 4 ft. apart each way on thewindward side, ♦ Two rows of Pinus radiata, 6 ft. apart each way, One inner row of Cupressus Lawsoniana or Cupressus Benthamii

according to soil, planted 12 ft. from the radiata and 3 ft. apart in the row. The row of Cupressus to be kept trimmed. On land not suitable for Cupressus, Hakea saligna or barberry may be planted instead. The .Pinus radiata being of quickest growth soon reaches a fair height, and .should be topped at 20 ft. Attention should be given to topping every .second year thereafter. For coastal districts subject to salt-sprays, provided the land is not wet, the following planting is recommended, grown as a tall belt :■ — One or. two rows of Pinus pinaster fronting the sea, 4 ft. apart each way. One or two rows of Pinus muricata, 4 ft. apart each way. Four rows of Pinus radiata, 6 ft. apart each way. Two rows of Cupressus macrocarpa, 6 ft. apart. One row of Cupressus Lawsoniana, Hakea saligna, or barberry planted as a hedge, 15 ft. from the macrocarpa. This inner hedge to be kept trimmed. In districts not affected with salt-sprays another effective breakwind that will provide both shade and shelter is a single row of either macrocarpa or eucalypts, with a hedge of barberry planted on the eastern side in the case of the former and the western side in the case •of the latter. With the macrocarpa the barberry should be planted not less than 15 ft. away, and about 9 ft. from the gums. Even then the macrocarpa should be kept well cut back on the side next to the barberry, or it will overshadow it, making it thin and weak in the foliage, and so spoiling its purpose as a draught-arrester. Eucalypts •can safely be planted closer ,to the barberry, owing to their more open and upright growth. A good gum for this type of shelter is Eucoxylon (var., rosea) Campbell’s gum. It is a fairly quick grower, fairly bushy, and does not grow too tall, and stands cutting back. - In wet situations where other trees do not grow satisfactorily, the Lombardy poplar provides quite a good shelter. Four rows should be planted, allowing 4 ft. between the rows and 4 ft. between the plants or cuttings. When the trees have attained a fair height, a good plan to. keep the belt furnished at the base is to cut one of the side rows down during early spring. This will cause a dense bottom growth the •following summer. During the next year the other outside row may be treated likewise. The resulting growth then provides an impenetrable wind barrier. The Lombardy poplar may also be used successfully in semi-dry areas where the soil is of a fair depth and somewhat loose nature.

The storm which was experienced in this province during February, 1936, revealed many weaknesses in shelter-planting. Trees which were •considered resistant to salt-spray were badly blasted, even miles inland. Remarkable instances of this can be seen on both coast-lines to-day. Even in the Bay of Plenty eucalypts and many other varieties of trees were badly blasted. Pinus radiata in many localities is very sickly, whilst right alongside can be seen Pinus muricata absolutely unaffected. The cyclonic. force of the wind uprooted many shelter-trees, ■especially tall single- and double-row plantings of timber gums alongside drains. This is particularly noticeable in districts where the permanent water-level is from 4 ft. 6 in. to 6 ft. from the surface. Eucalypts planted for shelter and timber purposes and grown to a height ■of 50 ft. to 60 ft. in twelve to fifteen years have suffered badly.

Farmers having extremely tall trees on drain-banks in exposed situations on such country are advised to fall every alternate tree, and allow the young growths from the stumps to develop. When such growths are 10 ft. to 12 ft. high, thin by cutting out a number, and the balance top down to 8 ft., and then maintain them at a height of 12 ft. to 15 ft. by topping annually. This practice provides excellent ground shelter for stock for a long distance out into the fields. Two years after falling the first half of the trees, the balance of the large trees should be cut down and the young growths from the stumps allowed to come away and be

thinned and topped when ready. By adopting this plan very efficient shelter is obtained and the risk of having many chains of tall trees uprooted during some future violent gale greatly minimized; On the average farm there are to be found odd corners and rough hillsides which it is impossible to crop or maintain in profitable pasture. Such areas should be planted with a suitable kind of tree to provide timber and wood later on. For rapid growth two trees are outstandingviz. : Pinus radiata and macrocarpa ; possibly macrocarpa is the more useful. In wet sodden soils it does not succeed. If planted for timber purposes in fairly large areas, the plants should be set 6 ft. apart on the square or quincunx system, and after' a few years every other tree should be cut out. This treatment causes the trees to grow up straight with clean barrels which provide timber for all classes of farm jobs. Consideration should also be given to planting a certain number of eucalypts. They grow in soils where macrocarpa fail. Varieties such as Eugenioides, Viminalis, MacArthuri, Obliqua, Pilularis, and Leucoxylon are recommended.

Nothing looks more effective on a farm than small clumps of trees, especially if planted on hill-tops. Even single specimens planted in large fields add to the beauty of the landscape, and provide shade for stock in hot weather. Fencing will have to be provided in all instances where shelter is planted. This is, of course, the heaviest expense in any plantingscheme, but must be faced if success is to be assured. Shelter around the Homestead and Outbuildings. It is advisable to plant shelter around the homestead to check cold bleak winds, but care must be taken not to plant large trees too near

the buildings and gardens. Whilst they are small they arrest the wind and do no harm, but after a few years their stems become bare, cold draughts drive through them, their large branches cast a shade over the homestead area, while their far-reaching roots invade all garden space. Homesteads so planted are rendered damp, cold, and unhealthy. In most districts of the Auckland Province where the homestead area is unsheltered some quickly growing shelter is ' required, and Pinus radiata planted at least 'i| chains away on the windward side and kept trimmed is probably as good as any other tree. When planting Pinus radiata provision should be made to establish

a slower-growing and better-class hedge on the lea side fully half a chain from the Pinus radiata, which can be cut down when the inner hedge is sufficiently high to shelter the homestead. Ornamental trees and choice shrubs of a tender nature can be planted with safety as soon as there is shelter. ' . Extreme care must be taken, however, not to plant anything of a tall nature near the house : low shrubs should be nearest the buildings, and shrubs and trees of greater height near the hedge.

Pinus radiata plants '■ are usually sent out 4 as one-year seedlings in bundles. Other pines, Douglas fir, redwood, and Cupressus Lawsoniana are best obtained as two-year-old transplantings. Eucalypts and Cupressus macrocarpa are now usually sent out in trays as one-year-old seedlings. The trays are carried out and put near the pits, and the trees balled out from the trays as required.

The time of the year to plant trees depends on the climatic conditions chiefly, and to some extent on the variety and age of the young trees. In the Auckland Province planting may be commenced in. April, as soon as the soil is moist enough, and should be completed by early September. It has been found that trees planted before the end of May generally give the best results. Planting in mid-winter and Julyshould be done only with the hardy conifers. In districts where severe frosts are experienced, planting must be left until spring, from early August till midOctober. ' ■ ' In planting on the farm the greatest care . should be taken in the preparation of the land, and every chance given the young trees to make rapid and, early growth. If it is intended to plough the land, the ploughing should be done in summer and should be

followed by the usual horse cultivation to keep weeds in check during the autumn. On unploughable land the pits for the trees should be prepared in autumn. The extent to which the land should be cleared depends on the nature of the weeds or scrub growth present. Most trees are naturally fitted to establish themselves on the forest floor, and so a certain amount of shade is beneficial. Growth such as light bracken-fern should as a rule not be burnt off, but left to provide shade and shelter for the young trees. Strong growing gorse, broom, manuka, &c., should

be slashed down. On ploughed. areas the lines of . trees may be marked out with a garden line, while in unploughed and scrub areas the tree-locations may be defined by setting up pole-lines 6 ft. apart and by digging the pits along these lines. These pits are made by skimming off with a sharp mattock the turf or other matter over a circular patch roughly 18 in. in diameter and then loosening the soil as deeply as the mattock can be driven in. If it is intended to plant large-rooted or balled trees, a spadeful of earth should be removed and placed beside the’ hole. In districts where frosts are experienced early pitting results in having the soil fine and crumbly by planting-time.

■ Trees should never be planted out into wet, waterlogged soil. Planting in such an area should be delayed until the soil is in a better condition, even if operations are postponed until late in the season.

In planting where open pits have been made, the : bottom .of each should be firmed and the tree planted in the centre. The fine soil should then be . sifted in about the roots and tramped very firmly. The roots must not be bent up or cramped. On a small scale it pays to put a forkful of well-rotted farmyard . manure in each pit. If artificial manure. is used, blood and bone manure or superphosphate and bone manure in equal parts, allowing two good handfuls a tree, should be applied.

Planting Rules summarized.

(1) A tree should be planted not more deeply than it was planted in the nursery. (2) Place the tree in the centre of the pit so as to allow even development of the roots. But in very exposed places the plant should be placed against the solid earth on the side of the pit opposite the prevailing wind. (3) The tree should be planted in an upright position, with tap root going straight down and lateral roots spread out and not bunched together or bent. (4) Never allow the roots to become dry or even have the appearance of dryness. Carelessness in this direction is probably the most frequent cause of failure. , . (5) In the first place work the soil gently in about the roots, then firm it well by tramping. (6) Do not put grassy sods into the hole. These are liable to cause air spaces and the drying of the roots.

Special care should be taken in planting out eucalypts. A dull day should be chosen, and they should be handled as little as possible. The leaves may wither and fall off after transplanting, but if the plants are strong and properly planted they usually produce new leaves within a few weeks. ' Maintenance. In the first few years of the life of the plantation set out on rough land it pays to clear round each tree a patch the size of the original pit and to replace any failures. Trees that have not been well firmed may be seen to have “worked” at ground-level through swaying, and such trees should be . properly firmed. When the trees are from six years to seven years old, some thinning is usually required. Trees that have . become crooked, badly balanced, or that have developed double leaders should be cut 'out, as also should any that are being dwarfed by their neighbours. On workable areas of plantation and alongside, hedgerows it pays to keep the land cultivated with a horse hoe for a season or so. Protection of the plantation against fire can be effected by keeping firebreaks ploughed or disked on ploughable land, and by keeping scrub and rubbish cut and burned on rough country.

Note how bare the trees have become in the base, and how a large number have died out. Planted too closely together when set out.