The Daily News. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1911. REAFFORESTATION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 61, 2 September 1911, Page 4

The Daily News. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1911. REAFFORESTATION.

The utilitarian settler who reads that last year nearly nine million trees were raised from seed in the four State nurseries will probably see in this a more or less adequate source of timber supply for the succeeding generations. The splendid progress that is > being made in New Zealand in regard to the planting of trees which are absolutely necessary to the existence of the country and the people cannot, however, make up for the tremendous waste that is allowed to take place. In time (and there is no possible method, of avoiding this) treeless tracks will become barren, for natural distillation will be impossible and root conservation of moisture impossible also. The raising of State belts or plantations of trees is effective in safeguarding the productivity of the country in the neighborhood, but if the people of New Zealand look upon trees entirely from the timber aspect, there is as yet no prospect of them understanding their tremendous utilities as guardians of fertility. In short, every person who understands what is going to happen to New Zealand when its natural forests have disappeared should seize every opportunity to raise the cry "a third of the farm in trees." Immeasurably valuable timber will during the coming summer go up in smoke. The man who counsels saving part of it as guardians of the soil in the years to come is looked upon as a fool. The planting of young trees cannot make up in a century for the damage that is done in a year or two. Tlie Government is doing a splendid work in forestry, but there is urgent necessity for it to instil into the minds of farmers the value of trees on the farm as well as in the Government plantations. The pressing necessity to constantly manure land in much worked country would not be so urgent if the "third of the farm in trees" ideal had been persistently put before the early day settlers. The Indian system of insisting that for every tree felled in State forests (a license fee being paid) five others shall be planted, has saved at least a small belt of the arid Empire from absolute destruction as arable land. New Zealand depends for the size of its crops, the bone and meat of its beasts!, and the general excellence of her produce on the humidity of the climate. This humidity decreases with the destruction of the forests, and especially where penny wise and pound foolish folk take n whole countryside in one fiery sweep. Prisoners are at present doing most of the tree-plant-ing being done in New Zealand. It is a pity that hundreds of settlers do not look into the future t-ometimes and decide that New Zealand shall in the years to come be as productive as it now is, by adopting tree-growing as a moat necessary adjunct to the growing of crops and stock.