PLANTING THE TOWN BELT

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1668, 7 February 1913, Page 6

PLANTING THE TOWN BELT

SOME SUGGESTIONS. . ' Suggestions for planting the Town Belt are embodied in a report furnished to the Beservcs Committee of tho City Council, by. the -forester (Mr. J. M'Phersoh). The report says tljat, if it be contemplated to plant a given area each' year, it will. be necessary to form a nursery in a con\ venient centre, and which would rcquiro to l>e two acres in extent, to raiso plants sufficient to.plont from 10 to 15 acres an-, nually, allowing of a sufficient number of three years transplanted trees for ,planting among-gorse and other . rough places. It is suggested that the planting be started:on conspicuous parts of the belt, where the-soil is fairly suitable in 'order that the planting may be successful, thereby insuring a greater-.interest on the part, of the public in tho work. The first step would be to start on the :shelter belts and get .them planted first ■in order that they may get, up and provide shelter for the better varieties, which would be. planted later. ■.-".-, ', After dealing with a sehemo to provide 'shelter plantations, forest glades, etc., tho report goes on to say that, in cloth-' ing'the hillsides with trees, shelter'belts must first be planted along tho most exposed : ridges composed of' pines and deciduous trees, the deciduous being deep-' rooted take a greater hold of the ground ; and aro less liable to be blown down than the pinos would if planted by themselves. Where'footpaths cross" the belt'and'aro situated in more'or less-sheltered hollows,' lime trees cnuld be planted on either side,, .converting the paths into avenues or lime walks, as they are termed in some parts. The report mentions that the planting that has been.done on the piece of belt situated between Grass Street and Hay Street is more or less n. failure. Most of the plants.have .taken to the ground/and are making growth, but. the shoots-they mako during the summer get killed by the winter exposure, the result is that the plants never get above the shelter of the rough grass. -,-