An Afforestation Experiment.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 February 1922, Page 4

An Afforestation Experiment.

Some idea of the manner id which the Government hai tackled the important work of afforestation in this countly was given to a “Dominion” reporter by Mr H .A. Goudie, Conservator of forests at Rotorua. Mr Goudie has for many years past been in charge of the Government State Forests at Rotoma, which comprise some 26,000 acres. An example has been afforded here of what can be done by afforestation. A barren wilderness of pumice land has been converted within 20 years into a huge plantation of euoalypts, Douglas fir larch, Corsician pine, pinus ponderosa, pinus insignis and pinus strobus, wlieh will become increasingly valuable! with the passing of the years. A huge nursery, which employs 150 hands acts as a feeding ground for the gigantic plantation. Here the different species of timber trees are grown from seed, and experiments are ciuried out regarding adaptability of the different trees to climate and soil. The nursery at Rotorua, Mr Goudie went on to explain, was capable of turn ing out 5,000,000 trees a year. The plantation, which was situated about iwo miles from Rotorua overlooking the Green Bike, contained Douglas fir (Oregon pine), Corsician pine, eucalypts larch and various kinds of pines. The Douglas fir was what is known as the Oregon pine, which was being so largely imported from America as building material. Corsician pine was another building materal of good quality, as also was pinus ponderosa. Pinus insignis was largely used for making fruit and packing cases, while pinus strobus, the Weymouth or white pine of the Eastern States of America, was a very valuable joinery timber. The larch was the quickest-growing timber used by falrmers in the Old Country, as eucalypts are in New Zealand. It is used as round timber and is in much demand in England as railway sleepers. Some, of the gum rees at Rotorua, were .now 100 ft high. Seventy different species of euoalypts bad been experimented with at Rotorua, liesides pines and firs.