FARM TREES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 June 1939, Page 3

FARM TREES

FOR SHELTER AND TIMBER PROVISION ESSENTIAL. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR VARIOUS POSITIONS. A serious defect on many farms of this country is the inadequate or inefficient provision of farm shelter and timber, states a recently-issued bulletin of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce. Shelter belts and timber groves ,on the farm are almost indispensable. Trees provide, not only protection for homestead and farm buildings, but a future source of timber for firewood, posts, stakes, and rails. The pioneers fully realised the aesthetic value of trees The benefits of shelter to cropping land often tends to be overlooked. Unchecked winds on cultivated areas remove valuable surface soil, withdraw soil moisture, “shake” ripening grain and directly injure maturing crops. The effect of shelter in conserving moisture and increasing humidity is readily illustrated by the quicker growth, of grass or the more speedy germination of seed on the sheltered sides of any field. It should be observed that a belt- 66ft. high affords direct protection for a distance of 5 chains (or 5 times its height, and partial protection for 15 times the height. Tree planting will prove worthy of adoption as a means of utilising waste or scrub infested country. In certain areas schemes, are being developed to plant thousands of acres of otherwise waste land in quick growing trees. Areas which have reverted to gorse, fern, manuka, and blackberry can be improved by developing the only economic “crop” which will compete successfully with weed growth. The value of provision of shelter for stock, both for protection from wind, rain, cold and for shade purposes, should be much more generally appreciated. Timber for farm purposes is also an immediate need. The purpose of this bulletin is to consider ways and means whereby these amenities may be provided. HEDGE SHELTER. Hedge shelter alone is insufficient, but good hedges are valuable apart from their boundary or sub-diviison function. In districts where they thrive, Cupressus lawsoniana and Cupressus macrocarpa are in high favour as permanent evergreen shelter hedges. Singles lines are planted with the trees 3ft. apart, the hedges being kept trimmed at about 10ft. Boxthorn, hawthorn, barberry, prickly acacia and hakea planted 1-2 feet apart are also useful on a wide range of soils, particularly in permanent grassland. In some dairy country pampas grass growing 10ft. high is unsurpassed as a type of hedge shelter, and even the value of clumps of flax is recognised. In cropping areas gorse has become widespread. It is. satisfactory if well cared for and kept under strict ..control, but in view of the deterioration of old gorse hedges the. trend now. -is. to remove many of these, replacing them by permanent wire and standard fences, at the same time making shelter provision in the form of short lines of low growing trees. For ornamental hedges there is a wide range in which many native species are recommended: —Taupata (Coprosma Baueri), Tarata (Pittosporum eugenioides), Kohuhu (Pittosporum tenuifolium). Silver Ake Ake (Olearia Traversii), Golden Ake Ake (Olearia Forsteri); introduced hedge plants suitable for homestead gardens include Privet, Laurel, Escallonia, Eleagnus, Lonicera, Irish Yew. HIGH SHELTER BELTS. These should be established across the prevailing winds on the farm boundaries or well away from buildings. In the past many tall growing trees were planted too near buildings which are now unduly shaded, especially during winter. High shelter belts should be at least 5 chains away from buildings on’fihe North, East and West sides. They can be closer on the South side. What is required is a combination of Pines and Cypresses, the former to give height to the belt and break the face of the wind, the latter to provide density at the base and prevent cold ground draughts through the ,trunks. The following high shelter belts are recommended: —

(I) For warmer district deep fertile soil:—Pinus Radiata (Insignis Pine), 2 rows, 6ft. apart each way. 1 row Pinus laricio (Corsican pine), 4ft. apart each way on the windward side. 1 inner row Cupressus lawsoniana or Benthamii, 18ft. from the pines and 3ft. apart in the row. (II) Coastal Districts, sandy soil:— 1 row Pinus Pinaster (Maritime pine), 4ft. apart each way. 2 rows Pinus Muricata (Prickly pine), 4 ft. apart each way. 1 row Cupressus Macrocarpa, 6ft. apart each way and 18ft. from pines. (HI) Exposed Dry Plains:—2 rows Pinus Radiata, 6ft. apart each way. 1 row Pinus Muricata, 4ft. apart each way. 1 row Cupressus Arizonica, 18ft. from the pines, 6ft. apart in the row. (IV) Cold High Country area:—l row Pinus Murrayana (Lodge-pole pine), 6ft. apart each way. 1 .row Pinus laricio. 6ft. apart each way. 1 row Pscudotsuga taxifolia (Oregon pine: Douglas fir). 6ft. apart each way. I row Cryptomeria japonica (Japanese cedar), 12ft. from the pines. 4ft. apart in the row.

In wetter districts where the soil is deep and moist Lombardy poplars may be used for high shelter—3 rows of cuttings with the trees alternating in the rows and 4ft. apart each way. When the trees have attained a fair height a good plan is to cut one of the side rows down to a few feet and allow it to grow up again from the stumps. This keeps the belt furnished at the base, thereby covering the gaps between the other lines. If a single row or a double row of .poplars is established a hedge should also be planted close to the trees. Eleagnus cuttings 4 ft. apart arc recommended. LOW SHELTER. It. is considered that the greatest need throughout New Zealand is for low shelter as distinct from that already mentioned. This is required within the boundaries of the high shelter and should be in the form of isolated clumps, short linos of low growing trees, or lines of trees kept topped at about 20 feet. The ideal would be for each field of any property to be so provided for a few chains along one or two of the fence lines. There is no

need to plant the whole length of the sub-divisions, but rather aim to establish short breaks of a few chains across the prevailing winds. Such low shelter belts are of immense value to stock under conditions of rain, wind, or excessive heat. These inner belts need not be high nor should they occupy as much space as does high shelter. Single or double rows of any of the -Cypress—Lawsoniana, Benthamii, torulosa, macrocarpa, or Arizonica are recommended, the first two for North Island plantings, the latter for Southern districts. Young trees should be planted 4ft. apart with 6ft. between any two rows. It is necessary to top macrocarpa. The others are not tall growing in habit but greater density near the ground will result if such lines are also kept topped at about 2025ft. Pines may be used for the same purpose in double rows 6ft. apart each way. For low shelter it is essential to keep them topped and trimmed along the side. Single or double rows of Lombardy poplars with the cuttings 4 ft. apart and kept topped at 20ft. may also be used. Low shelter may be provided by single lines of willows, by untrimmed lines of Hawthorn or boxthorn, in fact, by any of the so-call-ed hedge plants which are tall growing in habit. ! FARM TIMBER. This should be established in suitable corners of fields, in -shingle pits or in patches of otherwise waste land. In such situations shelter and shade will be obtained, but these trees must be regarded as a source of farm timber rather than as shelter belts. The timber trees recommended for South Island plantings include chiefly the Eucalypts or Gum—Eucalyptus Gunnii (Cider Gum), E. Macarthurii (Woolybutt), E. viminalis (Manna gum), E. gigantea (Red Mountain Ash), and in the colder southern districts only, E. globulus (Blue gum), which in other-areas is particularly disease susceptible. Other timber trees which will prove valuable are the larch. Oregon pine, and moerocarpa. For North Island timber plantings the same trees are recommended and in addition other of the more frost susceptible but good timber Eucalypts such as E. eugenioides (White Stringybark), E. obligua (Stringybark), E. pilularis (Blackj butt).

A very wide choice is available for shelter or ornamental planting in the homestead grounds. European trees are most attractive, including the evergreen. scarlet, and European oaks, elm, ash, sycamore, silver and black poplars, maples, birch, beech, cedars, silver firs, redwoods, and cypress. Native trees should be encouraged, particularly some of the smaller species such as titoki, matipos, kowhais, lacebarks, and ribbonwoods.