TREE PLANTING.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 July 1915, Page 8

TREE PLANTING.

OYKHCOUIXi; XOXIOCS WKICDS. (By K. Maxwell.) Unfortunately in many districts Minions needs, -notably blackberry, liu « got such a hold in tile poorer lands that where the land is much broken and really poor their eradication by the ordinary methods is practically impossible. To enforce eradication in many case-; where the land is of the nature described would only mean tin l ruin id' the <vcupier lirst and the ultimate triumph of the weeds. I am satisiied that if t!i.occupiers O! weed-infested lands of the nature and quality referred to were to keep an accurate account of the time and money spent in trying to master '.lie weeds they would, before many years were out, find that they had expended more than the value of the land. 1 can think of 110 better way by whi.-ii noxious weeds can be suppressed ami their spread more effectively controls.l on such land, and the poorer idass of broken land turned to profitable ire; fhan by planting trees—preferably pinus iiislfjiils (P. Kadiata j Strange to say. there is a very general idea, though very fallacious one, that tree planting so far as any profitable result is concerned. is only for the very hopeful youth or for the well-to-do to undertake for the good of the next generation; or. to put it in oilier vofls, that the chances of profitable return o.; any return are too remote for it to lie looked upon as a reasonable niidortni.ing. I have for many years tried inv very best to combat this, to inv niiiai, quite erroneous conception, and to show in every way I could the many advantages of tree planting and to assist with information, etc.. any who were desirous of undertaking planting. The first tiling one who is going in for tree planting is faced with is the vc ; t in pi;-taut one of what kinds to choose. Of cour-e there are many to pick from, hut if weed suppression is one of tile considerations, (here are three absolute essentials, viz.. (l i The kinds chosen must be evergreens; (2) must be dense shild"giving, and (M) must bo rapid grower;. When selectimr with a view to value of timber as well as weed suppressors, oic's choice would be affected by (ho locality, the configuration of the land. etc.. but for the dual purpose there is, in my opinion, no tree that will compare with the pinus insignis (P. Radinta). Tt ifc tilo most rapid growing tree in the world, will grow practically in everv district in New Zealand from the Nnrrh Cape to the Ululf, will grow in any soil, in fuiv situation, but the most exposed, does best in the kind of land referred to. is almost the most, easily transplant"-! of all the. conifers, is dense growing, and when planted compactly completely ■smothers any weed, and is most valuable for timber, producing immense qiuintities in an astonishingly short time. Tho timber, though far from durable, when young makes excellent firewood, and is most useful for many other purposes. When older it is fairly durable ar.d is now considerably used as a building timber—for boarding. K lias been proved the next best timber to our white pine for butter boxes, is excellent for cheese crates, and none better for fruit, cases, being light, tough and good nailing The much branched, heavy limbed, much knotted, rapidly tapering tree seen on the road side in single line is not the best indication of the ta'l. straight limbless trunk of the fame tree grown in a systematic plantation. When grown in gullies or steep hill sides they grow great tall, straight trunks with immense rapidity. It produces a far greater quantity of timber in a given time tli :;> any otiier tree in the world, and will grow large enough to be milled in about twelve years. Some of the gums are astonishingly rapid growers, but none will produce the bulk of timber, ill a short time that the pinus insignia will, I'lanting.—Yearling plants are the best a.rd easiest, handled, surer growers than older ones, and the roots are Un* likely to be twisted, which is an important point. If planted alone, that is. without other kinds of trees such as black wattles, as nurses, they should lie put in Ift apart- in rows 4ft apart. This is the recognised distance in pine plantations, but 1 favor lift apart each way. or lift apart in rows oft apart; four feet apart equals 20 per acre; the other would be about half that. Thinning should be coninieilcid from the fifth to seventh year, according to the rate of growth, every second row being taken out for firewood, etc.. as required, and the second thinning about the tenth to twelfth year, removing every second tree ill the remaining rows. The.-" would no large enough lor sauiug for fruit irises, etc., ami would also produic an inimcine quantity of li.'wood, anil tiigetlu-r should puv manv times oyi :■ tlie coil of planin I ion and rent of laud, with u;-ter-st on both, leaving tic ba'-'iire- the main crop, of Ii.SO frees in 111 e i'nst case, or alioe,t .'Mil in the sei-ouii. p-l' iicre, :o he milled from til-' t went iet h to tliirlioui voar. aie'iodiiig' to c;reii;o>fanee ;md de-

:>i]V. ji' IJ-tO t )•«-*'S )'(T iH'V. 1 WOIIM produce. sa ill "i'tli year ai tl:«' let st LlOiUHliij't i: !* t i!! ll)t !". a;al illlil lOl'U of iin-wood per a; re. Tlii-', ihitU.ul) 1 Kh'i.w a a e\l) - 'nieh in\V estin.ai<\ \vou : d l<e ;ii: 'citisieii-dv profitaUe ill-111': I-- rail 1'" planted Willi praeli nil'.' any time from Am!! (o OrioIk r. or -•vea la ter. a'ld ! }?:: \ e always 1 onjif! li lust iI" plants aiv ulilai.ii'd fiv.ni a-nur-rry };> lice! litem in 'vm rows ! Hear wll'-rc planlilh; is to |,c ({• nil' aU'i leave tiiciu for ir\v weeks Ji?• plant ijjj/ out\ I>laek wattle (acacia d'eurreu*') may in nnuy situations ho most profitably used a- nurses. planting e\ery Meond row with JliOn, intend of pines. Tin.' wuhli's and pines will lielp racli nthey and run up straight wilhoui }u>a\y hniiM fi» s, am! the \va 1 < !<• i,i six years ean !:e rrjf «»nt, producing ;;T:at tjiiuHli-t.it'-i of the most. ''xecliiMit firewood, as w.'ll a< posts, mils and other f;irin r<>- \ qm.sitcs. ■ i