Trees On The Farm

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1028, 19 July 1930, Page 27

Trees On The Farm

An Ever-Growing Need

WITH the need for shelter-belts on the farm becoming more and more apparent every year, if the best possible results are to be secured from the stock, there is no doubt that many Auckland farmers will be giving increased attention to the planting of waste areas and small corners in quick-growing trees. Where shelter is not an urgent need, timber or firewood is and, for one or all of these three purposes, any settler will find a few odd corners of healthy trees very hand}".

As methods of planting trees are governed by the class of soil, climatic conditions, magnitude of area, and the species and type of stock utilised, it is not possible to lay down a definite rule to be followed in all cases. The description or the various methods adopted by the State Forest Service should prove of assistance to private planters and enable them to evolve a practice to meet individual requirements. A settler who plants a few acres annually is usually able to devote more time and care toward preparatory cultivation than is possible in large-scale operations of commer cial projects where economy of establishment has an important bearing on the ultimate financial success of the plantation, and consequently more satisfactory results should be attained from farm plantations. The extent to which the land should be cleared prior to planting depends largely upon local climatic conditions and the existing weed-growth. In many localities it will be found desirable to leave the low-growing indigenous growth in order to afford protection to the young trees. In districts subject to unseasonable frosts it has been found preferable to burn off all growth which is likely to impede the free circulation of the air. Generally it will be found advisable to remove in some measure the strong growth, such as manuka or very heavy bracken, if it tends to impede the work of planting or to shade excessively the young trees in their earlier years. Burning-off should be carried out sometime previous to planting, which should be defferred until the land has been well staked with rain Scrub or stash should be burnt off before commencing planting opera tions. as dead and dying timber is unsightly; in falling it tends to injure the young growth, increases the danger from fire, and invites and har-

l>ours many species of insects which may be injurious to young growth. For small areas and wind-breaks, where quick growth is specially desired, it will be best to plough and cultivate the area to be planted; if the soil is very poor, a little manure, such as basic super, can be worked in during cultivation. Remarkably quick growths are often obtained under such favourable conditions, and the ploughed area can often be utilised during the first season for the growth of such crops as potatoes, etc., between the lines of trees. Planting-Distances Several factors govern the proper distances at which to space trees, individual requirements being to some ex tent the determining one. For example, single rows along fence-lines may be spaced in accordance with the planter’s desire and object. In order to provide close shelter a spacing-dis-tance of from 12ft. to 16ft. will generally be found suitable. Intervals of 6ft. to Sft. will more rapidly attain that objective, but the trees will not retain so many lower branches, although the ultimate timber produced will be of better quality. In practice, probably the most satisfactory method is tq plant at 6ft_ to Bft., to achieve quick shelter; and then to remove every alternate tree while still in tne sapling stage. If the objective is the growth of merchantable timber the trees should be spaced Bft. apart each way, which is considered more economical and suitable for most conifers and eucalypts, and is adopted as the standard for the State plantations. Owing to its strong branching habit, Cupressus macrocarpa when planted with the object of providing fencing material and timber should, however.

not be spaced more than 6ft. apart each way. The following table indicates the required number of trees at specified distances apart: Number of trees required to plant an acre of ground, and also for lines one mile in length Distance l Number Required apart, in 1 — Feet | Per Acre j Per Mile Length

Generally speaking, In the North Island, planting carried out before the end of May gives the best results, but for spring planting mid-August to the end of September is usually suitable. This applies in a general way to small-scale planting for farmers, and is intended to give optimum results only. On large-scale planting in many districts advantage may be taken of the whole late May-early October season for planting purposes. In some few districts early and dry spring weather makes autumn planting compulsory; in others a rigorous June and July enforces September planting to the exclusion of all other months. The choice of planting time in such exacting districts can only be made by close knowledge of local conditions.

4,S40 3,760 4 2,722 1,320 5 1,742 1,056 6 1,210 SSO 7 880 754 S 680 660 0 537 586 10 435 52S 11 360 480 12 302 440 13 257 406 14 222 377 15 193 352 16 369 330 17 150 310 18 334 293 19 120 278 20 110 264 21 99 251 22 90 240 23 83 230 24 75 220 25 70 211 26 64 203 27 61 195 28 55 188 29 51 182 30 4S 176