The Feilding Star. TUESDAY, NOV. 23, 1886. forest Planting

Feilding Star, Volume VIII, Issue 61, 23 November 1886, Page 2

The Feilding Star. TUESDAY, NOV. 23, 1886. forest Planting

The necessity which has long been patent to observing men for steps to lie taken to preserve the native forests from utter extinction, and to replace those already cleared, is being met in a practical manner by Mr Ballance, who has taken up the work with characteristic energy. Professor Kirk, F.L.S., Chief Conservator of State forests, in his progress report on the State Forest Department says a popular descriptive work ou the timber trees of the colony is in course of preparation under the title of "The Forest Flora of New Zealand." A work of this kind is absolutely necessary in order to secure uniformity of nomenclature, and, to facilitate that object, it is proposed to give illustrations of the foliage, flowers, and fruit of each kind, accompanied by a full description in plain language, with a detailed account of the chief uses to which each kind can be applied, its durability, rate of growth, and general adaptability to the purposes of tbe culitvator. Particulars will also be given of the methods of felling, transport, and conversion of the more important kinds. As the work will probably find a circulation in Europe and America, the botanical portion will be made as complete aB possible, and brought down to the date of publication. Regulations for felling timber in state forests have been prepared, and are now under the consideration of the Officers of the Crown. They have been drawn in a sufficiently elastic manner to be applicable to the entire colony, while every precaution has been taken to avoid unnecessary interference with established customs on the one hand, or to make a needless increase of royalties on the other. The Chairmen of County Councils have been requested to act as local conservators and in most cases havu willingly consented. It is not intended in the Planting Operations to establish nurseries in localities where local men may be prepared to tender for the supply of young plants ; but in places difficult of access it will be necessary to form temporary nurseries when planting operations are to be carried on to a large extent, especially where pines are to be planted. To settlers on this coast the subject is of the greatest interest and importance because it is only too evident the native forests are disappearing with alarming rapidity, while little or nothing is being done to replace them. In the descriptive catalogue of trees available for forest cultivation in New Zealand, there is a list which has been prepared with a view of assisting settlers who may contemplate the forming of plantations. The systematic and common names of each apecies are given, its native country, usual dimensions, properties of timber, and uses to which it is generally applied, all of which are stated as concisely as possible. The list makes no pretension of being exhaustive, and is practically restricted to trees capable of producing timber of economic value, although a few species have been admitted on their value as hedge-plants, or nffording bark for ! tanuing purposes, or for them growj ing upon drift sand. We hope this good and useful work will be continued with vigor by the Government, but we also hope the settlers will be eager to assist by every means in their i power.