TIMBER FOR POLES.

Shannon News, 23 November 1926, Page 2

TIMBER FOR POLES.

STATE FORESTRY DEPARTMENT’S ADVICE. TO HOROWHENUA TOM . . HOARD At last meeting of the liorowhcnua Power Board, Mr p. M. Page, of the Statg Forestry Department, waited on the Board to give some information on the subject of growing timber for power pole purposes. After being welcomed by the chairman- (Mr G. A. Monk), Mr Page who is the Department’s Forest Extension Officer, there was not the least doubt that it was part of a Power Board’s work to provide for the replacement of its poles within a reasonable period and if possible to grow its own. The Forestry Department had been considering ti e question and wished to help in any way possible. They recommended the planting of three varieties of eucalypts, i amoly E. Botryeides, E. Eugcnoides and E. Muellcrinna. He regretted having to inflict these names on the Board but explained that it was the only way the varieties could be correctly distinguished. In .New South 'Wales there were many varieties known as blackbutt, many of which were rubbish. It had been found therefore that the vernacular name had to be cut out and the botanical word adhered to. The speaker then went into detail as to planting. The actual cost of planting an acre of trees suitable for power poles was about £5, The trees could be put in 8 feet apart in the rows and between rows. Personally h.- did not !

favour thinning so that the annual rings of growth would not be so far apart and in 20 years' time they would not have the same amount of sap. As the trees became suppressed the animal rings became less, and the trees consisted of heart and bark. They would get 300 tc 400 poles to the acre, each 35 feet long, 134 inches at the lmtt and 5 inches at the top. He questioned whether they could buy such poles at less than £4 each, and even at £3, with 300 to the acre, it would be a big asset for power boards. It was not possible to grow eucalypts in every district, but they would have no difficulty in the Levin district, which had a suitable climate.

Maeroearpa. could be planted in the same way, and without thinning they would get rid of the main branches and get good symmetrical poles. An acre of these trees in 30 years’ time would be worth at least £SOO and would only cost '£s to plant -and 10s per acre per year for upkeep. A sum of £25 per acre Avould cover the whole of the charges against a plantation, and that acre would produce 400 to 500 trees at a (onservative estimate. These trees were valuable for fencing posts and would find, a ready, sale. In the Oroua district quit? a lot of maeroearpa poles had been used for reticulation and they were quite satisfactory. Mr Page next gave some interesting information about eucalypts already grown in New Zealand. At Leamington, near Cambridge, he said there was a flagpole that was erected on Matching Lay, 25 years ago. It was sixty feet high and only 6 inches in diameter. It had a small piece of tin round the

base,. but after 25 years was quite sound. Several years ago the Borough Gardener at Napier shewed him some posts that had been in use for 25 years. They were blaekbutt (E. Pilularis) that had been 1 , planted by Dr. Colenso 30 years before and wore cut down and split for jjosts. Beyond the

sap there were no signs of decay or dry rot. In another place lie had seen a post 3 jnehes in diamekr that had been in the ground 1(5 years without sign of decay. It was from a suppressed tree. He emphasised that timber could be grown in New Zealand that was quite as durable as that grown in Australia. Replying to questions Mr Page said ironbarks had not been successfully grown in New Zealand. Mr Matheson asked as to the possibility of using the sand country/ Mr Page said this would be suitable if not too much exposed. Some of the eucalypts were suitable for light soils. He would like to ■ come and see the ground. Mr Seifert said Californian redwoods did well in the Levin district. There were some of the finest he had ever seen in New Zealand. Mr Vincent said the salt spray came inland as far as Levin. Mr Matheson asked about the effects of blight. Mr Page said this chiefly affected blue gum. At Bulls every tree in some plantations had been killed out, but he had seen stringybark (E. Obliqua) untouched in the middle of an affected block. It was lucky that the scale only affected blucgums. To Mr Seifert, he said any of the land round Levin would be suitable, including the hill country.

Mr Barber mentioned that he had grown E. Macarthuri, one of the varieties mentioned by the expert, from seed and it reac-.hed a height of 30 feet in six years.

To Mr Goldsmith, Mr Page said a return could be expected in 20 to 30 years.

Mr Seifert: The most satisfactory thing we have been told is that New Zealand grown timber is quite as durable as that grown in Australia. Mr Page: Many power boards would be glad to have timber as durable as that grown in New Zealand. Some of them have had to replace Australian poles within five years. There are 300 distinct species of Eucalypts and 300 sub-species and he did not think there were 100 that were durable for § or 10 years, leave alone 30. To a question from the chairman, lie said that whcic a tree made very quick growth the annual rings were wider apart and they got more, sapwood. if the trees were close together they goti Suppressed growth and more heart. Climate and soil did not alter the habit of a tree. Note had been taken of eucalypts which had been grown in California and South Africa and they retained their characteristics there.

The chairman said a good deal of the cost depended on the initial cost of the land. We had cheap land here on the sea coast. If they had to come inland and pay £BO or £9O for the land iti was too much. Mr Seifert’s question regarding the growing of trees on hill country was important as such laud could be obtained fairly cheap and it seemed the place for them. Mr Seifert said that when in Australia he saw timber growing on different sorts of country. He thought there were gravelly river hats that could be obtained cheaply in this district that were no good for dairying. The chairman said the Board h.-.d had'a very interesting half-hour. ii; was gratifying to hear that, if they proposed to acquire land and plant trees for the use of the Board in the future, the State Forestry Department was anxious to assist, and the Department could be quite sure that the Board would not go intc the enterprise * without the Department’s advice. He ! moved a hearty vote of. thanks to Mr ! Page for the information* given. j

Mr Page said the Department would give all the assistance it could to the Board,