The Hokitika Guardian MONDAY, MARCH 6th., 1922. TREEPLANTING

Hokitika Guardian, 6 March 1922, Page 2

The Hokitika Guardian MONDAY, MARCH 6th., 1922. TREEPLANTING

At the social function in honour of Mr Seddon M.P., on Friday night a good deal was said about planting trees an<l Mr Seddon spoke of the success which had attended the plantation at the racecourse, which was intended purely for ornamental purposes. Af-

forestation work is be.xig taken up by the Government just now. For some years the Government has been doing a good deal experimentally. The remarkable fact was that the authorities attempted the experiments in all sorts of arid places. Perhaps the original idea was to make the waste places green, hut a great deal of time and nioney has been lost in carrying 011 the experiments in some places, which the later authorities in the forestry work are abandoning. It is difficult to understand why thero should have been an experimental stage at all. There are numerous parts of New Zealand where the forest nourishes and any waste places thereabouts would have been available for tree planting. The climate and aquatic conditions it might he inferred would not be adverse to settlers so that anything in tho way of experiment need not he thought of. At the local racecourse with very littie attention /after planting, the trees are making wonderful growth. The ground was not specially prepared nor specially selected. It was the waste hill-side or the swampy flat, which was taken in hand) and the results now speak for themselveß; On the higher ground, the trees are growing very shapely. In the flat places where it has not been too wet; good growth is also being recorded. The inference is that in selected or prepared special places, s-uitabiv attended during the initial stages of growth, the results would he all that could be desired. If. therefore, there is the urgent need for afforestation the experts are always talking about, the sooner suitable areas are planted the better. It is ‘said that Hanmer and other South Island nurseries are to be abandoned, because they are not giving the results expected. It is remarkable indeed that there is no plot on tile West Coast where forestry gowth is so prolific. There is some talk of an area being planted south of Hokitika. If the talk should ever he translated into actual deed, there is no doubt success is in view. The wasted decades at Hanmer and elsewhere are to be regretted, hut this is another case of the misjudgment of the experts. On this question of tree planting a writer recently said : —“Recent returns from land regarded as waste and planted in the Pinus ltadiata a few decades ago have returned to the provident planter a return that his finest pasture land never attained to. The whole life history of the tree and its growth have been so closely analysed that the old tlieores of vast ages between the planting and harvest have been disproved. Thirty years’ growth are necessary for the transport timbers, such as the Pinos Radiata; 40 to 50 for milling eucalypti ; and 15 years for poles and above ground fencing work; 63 for the mightiest and best of all forest timbers, the glorious kauri. The increment starts at the day they are established and ever grows. After the first five years they are no trouble, ordinary •care, fire prevention and keeping heavy stock away, are then the only needs, They Work for the otoner day and night, seed time artd harvest. I If tree planting has such a roseate outlook in fact, the sooner the forestry authorities take up afforestation in a practical way the quicker will they achieve some practical return and future benefit for the preliminary expense tlie country is now footing to see a much boomed department properly organised.