The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and exact justice to all men, Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. THURSDAY, FEB. 6, 1890.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 2741, 6 February 1890, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and exact justice to all men, Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. THURSDAY, FEB. 6, 1890.

We have drawn attention in previous issues to the necessity for not only conserving our fast diminishing forests, but planting liberally to replace those that are being cut out by settlers and bushmen. Considerable areas are cut down and burnt every year by settlers who desire to utilise the land for grazing purposes. To this destruction can be added that by fire, and also by timber companies for commercial purposes. Steps have been taken by Government to plant some of their waste lands, as for instance, the country between Rungiriri and Mere Mere, but even allowing that the whole country between the ranges and the Waikato river was planted, it would go but a small way by the time the timber would be fit for cutting towards supplying the wants of the colony, which by that time we may reasonably expect to be fairly thickly populated. A great proportion of the trers consists of wattle, a timber useful only for the tannin contained in the bark, and of no value as a timber tree. The great want in the future in this direction will he timber for building and other purposes, and to meet this want, trees that combine quickness of growth together with lasting qualities should be planted. Amongst the foremost, if not the foremost oi this kind, is the ce.ie brated " lied wood " of California, or as it is known botanically the " Sequoia Sempcrvirena," The monarchs of the Yo.semite valley, arc of this variety they have gained world wide notoriety from their gigantic size, being the largest

trees in the world. One of the properties of this tree is that when cut down a number of shoots spring from the stump, growing again straightly and quickly : if saplings or rickers arc required they can he thinned out from time to time, "leaving only one shoot on the parent trunk ■ this, getting as it does, the nourishment from tho strong roots, soon grows to a tree. This may not apply to trees of great age or size, but it does to those of

a of three or four feet. We saw recently a redwood which was planted only 11 or 12 years ago, and which is now about 40 feet high, circumference near the ground, six feet two inches, and at six feet'from the ground it is live feet two inches in circumference. A log twelve feet long from this tree contains 225 superficial feet of timber. It is such timber as this that should be planted to replace our forest trees. Here is the tree that would suit all our requirements, quick growth, straight in tho grain, and of good lasting qualities. Another useful American tree, said by some to be even quicker in its growth than the redwood, is the sugar pine. This is extensively grown in California, where the question of replacing their rapidly-diminishing forests is occupying public attention. It is used for general purposes, such as in buildings, cabinet work, Ac. About four years ago a thousand doors made of sugar pine were shipped from San Francisco to Melbourne, and sold there. Many of our farmers plant groves of pinus insignis for ornament. The two trees we have just mentioned are almost, if not quite, as quick in growth, aud are what the other is not, useful for every purpose. From these the farmer can cut his supply of posts and rails, firewood, and boards it he choose to saw them up, and if cut when not of great size, have, as we pointed out, the property of renewing themselves without planting. In one of the treeless States in America, on arbor day last year no less an area than 250 acres was planted with trees. That our climate has changed for the worse during the past ten or twelve years we all know, and this in a great measure, if not altogether, is due to the denuding the surface of the ground of forests and other natural growths. To replace this as speedily and profitably as possible is the duty of the State. In France, Switzerland, and Germany, great attention is paid to the forests, and much importance is attached to replacing them as they are cut out. All their forests are cared for by properly regulated departments, and when, a tree is cut down another is planted in its place. In some districts in Prussia the use of timber as fuel on railv/ays and steamboats is prohibited, and every effort is made to ensure a continuous supply of timber to meet inI creasing requirements. The Indian and Burmese Governments are spending large tuwa of money in planting and conceiving their forests. In a district in the Sout}j of the Litter country a profit of somewhat over .£14,000 last year accrued jto the Government over and above what they spent in planting and protecting tk.e areas already timbered. Germany, and we believe France also, derives a revenue icnm this source, and were our Governmer.fc to spend half the money r.ow wasted i-'i .making snug billeta fol their friend!;-, in

the waste lands of the colony with good timber trees, the next generation would draw a good revenue from flie same source also. Our kauri forests ;ire fast disappearing, doubly so since the formation of the; Timber Compauy, and when they are exhausted our best timber will be gone for ever. In a very few years, less than twenty, we shall be face to face with the very serious problem, " where shall we get our timber supply V' In this direction we are following too literally the maxim, " Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." Our legislators in their utter selfishness and their struggles for place, power and positions for their friends and relations care nothing for future generations; "it will last my time " is the motto of too many of thorn. Stem necessity will, in time, enforce the planting of trees, but before then, unless moro attention is paid to this important matter in tlie preseut, we shall be importing from other, and, maybe, wiser countries that which we are exporting so lavishly now. Americans in this country say the growth of foreign timber troes liere is phenomenal; especially is this the case with many trees indigenous to their country, as, for instance, the sequoia. Even tlie English oak grows at a rate entirely unknown in colder countries. Besides the sequoia and sugar pine, tlie black walnut- is said to grow on any ground, even the poorest clay, and is fit for using as timber in twenty-five years. Wo commend to our readers the consideration of this important subject. In Bohemia during- the past thirteen years almost twenty-five million tree plants have been distributed, either free or at a nominal cost, besides 9180 lbs. of seed. The formation of nurseries on Government land in various parts of tlie colony in which these trees could be grown for distribution and State planting would, in time, amply repay the outlay, and the cost would be money well expended.