FORESTRY COMMISSION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 21 April 1913, Page 6

FORESTRY COMMISSION.

A MEMBER'S IMPRESSION. \ Mr S. I. Clarke, of Auckland, who is a member of the Forestry Commission, gave some-interesting observations and impressions, as a result of the tour, to a pressman on Tuesday morning last. "A thiing. that struck mo as being remarkable,' 'said Mr Clarke, ",is the extent of country that can be covered by a commission whoso business it is to observe conditions, and at the same time the comparatively small amount of actual native forest ' suitable for commercial purposes that the members -will come across. As day followed day "on the journey I hecams more, and more convinced,.of the absolute urgency of taking steps to conserve a s much as possible what we already have in the way of forest, and to provide as quickly as pc-i-ible for future needs. My observations as to the growth of exotic trees go to c.how that the afforestation question in New Zealand will not b a of such .a serious matter as some of us have been led to suppose, ow ; ng to the extremely rapid growth of tilie most desirable of pine trees from America and Europe," was bhe opinion expressed by the Commissioner. "Tn a general way." he remarked, "the New Zealand climate seems to he exceptionally favourable for the growth of introduced pines and firs. Among other trees, the Douglas fir. or Oregon pine as* it is usually called, will be a valuable tree for planting here. In many places where we saw it. this tree was thriving remarkably well." "In reference to useful imported trees. 'Mr Clarke*said tlnat there was a good deal of misconception regarding: the much-abused pinus insigirls and the character of that particular oixler of pine. Up to the present it has been used only as a shelter tree, and we have therefore only been able to judge It by individual specimens, and not as a forest tree, grown: under forest conditions.. "There is every reason to believe," said Mr Clarke, that this tree will justify its name of 'remarkable pine' (in tlio remarkable returns fit will yield from a given area of ground. While in the South, I saw- a building constructed nine years ago of pinus, and. although the building'has never been painted, it is still in good order so far as the timber lis concerned. "As to the valuable areas for planting, there can be no doubt that plenty of land is waiting for afforestation in suitable situations. It is just a question whether or not it shall be part of the Government policy to undertake the work." IMr Clarke rem'arked that up to the present the Commission has not visited any of the sand dune areas. Inspections of these will be made later.