The Guardian AND EVENING STAR, With which is incorporated ”The West Coast Times.” WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 1921. SCIENTIFIC FORESTRY.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 March 1921, Page 2

The Guardian AND EVENING STAR, With which is incorporated ”The West Coast Times.” WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 1921. SCIENTIFIC FORESTRY.

That iorestry lias been reduced to a more or less exact science was shown bv Mr C. E. Fowcraker in a lecture at ( imterbui \ C illegc on*' evening la<t u eek. Air Low eraker explained the iiei.es.-i; v for a knowledge nt loiestrv by stating I hat whereas a farmer could discover in less than a season whether bis crop was going to bn a bad one or not, it took a forester perhaps ten years to ascertain the same thing. ‘‘All that time." said Mr Fowernker, ‘‘his land would be idle, and he would oe losing money. 1 11 an np-to-dat.' School of Forestry, however, experts would be available to tell the forester how lie could plant his crop, and tend it to obviate such losses. forestry how to produce the largest quantity ot th ( , best quality timber on a given area, and how to use it to the best advantage — is the subject of a course of ten lectures by AH' ('. F. Fowernker, M.A., F.L.N.. assistant at the ltiologi cal Laboratory. Canterbury College. In bis lecture, the other evening. Mr Fowernker gave the above definition of his subject. The lecture was of an introductory and general nature, the lec-1 turer dividing the subject into the allowing classifications : —Forest botany, tlie study of tile individual tree; silviculture, a study ol the trees in masses; forest management and protection ; forest geology and chemistry dealing with the soil, the altitude of the forest, etc.; meteorology, dealing with the climate and rainfall; and the animals and insects inhabiting the forest. With regard to the grown forest, the lecturer stated that the subject would be dealt with under tile head ings of forest engineering, dealing with surveying constructional works, milling machinery etc, forest policy., which embraced forest economics; forest law, and forest utilisation, which treated with the logging and milling of the timber, its by-products, and its care. Si/ienee is now being applied to all industrial life, and it is not surprising to find the field of forestry invaded. Nature has always much to reveal to the patient enquirer, and in the laboratory many discoveries are made, for science moves in a mysterious way, her wonders to reveal. Mr Fowcraker was a late visitor to Westland, and spent a few weeks in the forests adjacent t () the town, and further south. He has been pursuing research work since* his return to Christchurch and no doubt the lecture' series lie is giving will be founded largely on his late experiences in nature's wonderland. It seems to lie beginning at the wrong end to impart the scientific | knowledge he has gleaned so far away J from the forest territory, but perhaps ! the lectures will be collated and distributed iu pamphlet form among ' those to whom the information gained I would he of such prime importance. | The country will go on for many years . to come reaping nature’s crop ot na--1 tive trees, the age and growth of ; which we know so little about except by deduction. The scientific side of 1 the matter therefore needs probing so that there may be some certain knowledge <>f the secrets of nature’s bounty, and what man can do to reproduce in a comparatively brief span of time similar supplies of timber for industrial and domestic purposes. Afl'ores--1 tation strikes the layman as one of | great necessity after listening to all the theories the experts express as«to our fast diminishing timber supnlies. and yet reafforestation does not appear to he one of the strong points with our expensive Forestry Department. Strict conservation of the existing crop seems to lie the main line of action. If the scientist can enlighten the people with practical ideas governing the reproduction of forest areas, the service will he of great utility. Mr Foweraker appeared to be one thoroughly engrossed in his task and it Is to lie Inferred Ills experiences here Avijl In* turned to goad tid-

vantage "'hen he is imparting knowledge through the comprehensive senes 0 of lectures he has just commenced in Canterbury.