PLANTATIONS AND SHELTER.

Shannon News, 20 July 1923, Page 3

PLANTATIONS AND SHELTER.

(Palmerston Standard.) ’Fanners -aiid landowners! who are wanting to grow some shelter for •themselves should begin preparations n,o\\f fpr planting. Wherever it can ' be done-tljfe land should be; ploughed at The‘fences put jip to protect the'yuang trees from stock as sooii as they)are in the ground, ft is fairly well recognised that this district is not planted very well, and 'it is higih time that something was ddne to remedy this state -of- affairs.. I No crop adds to the value of the land near it as much as plantations,'and-in these days when timber is getting.so scarce, it is. time that everyone lopk a hand in planting. The first cost is) the largest, and every year adds considerably to the ivalue of any trees that maybe planted. The Forestry Department of the Government have sent-;out some astounding figures.; based oh the requirements in the hear future, and as there) £&• no-' reason to doubt, their correctness it is to the: advantage of all to get io work and plant v asj soon as possible. The proper trees Ho plant will depend upon the locality 'and the uses to which it is . intended. to put tihe plantations. One of the trees that .din. be planited in this 'district is Cupressus Macrocarpa. This, tree gives the greatest amount of shade and is one of the most useful for firewood* and posts that we have.. As a general rule they are. planted far too near the houses and cannot be allowed to grow to proper proportions, but u they are planted away irom .the (houses and caii be allowed-to grow to a large size they) \viir quickly., give shelter and prove a 'imostvjvaltiable investment. The pinus insignjs is another tree that is useful in many ways. It certainly will not stand when put into the soil, but as firewood and)Timber too. milling and making into boxes, it is unsurpassed. Eucalpts of all sorts are most useful and* will all sfipply firewood, and in many cases -posts ami boards, and at the same.;time prove useful as breakwinds. The best time to plant is about the month of August or even September, wfhere the ground is inclined, to be very wet and we have seen very good plantations made in the month of October, The best age to plant trees in a district like this, where the/grass and weeds grow so rampantly in the spring, is two-year-olds, choosing nice sturdy stun that has been well treated;-in the nur--sery. There is another thing about planting, and that is to give your order to the nurseryman as soon as possible, and ask him to set aside the trees you may want and to keep them for you until you are ready to put 1 them ’in, the ground, and when you are raady get the trees sncl plant them at once. Do not keep them hanging about for some time expect them to do well.