174 



THE AGRICULTUEAL NEWS. 



May 29, 1909. 



TREE PLANTING AT ANTIGUA. 



Compared with many other of the West Indian 

 islands, Antigua is singularly destitute of woodland, or 

 even of small groves of trees. Tins lack of suitable 

 vegetation tends to give the hillsules and waste places 

 a somewhat barren appearance, and the lack of shelter 

 thatwould be provided bye.\tensive wooded areas increa- 

 ses the tendency of the island to suffer from drought. 

 Tree planting on a large scale would not only improve 

 the a]jpearance of ihe landscape, and provide a source 

 of timber and fuel, but would also be of advantage in 

 providing shelter belts of woodlaml, ami have a certain 

 amount of influence in moditying the dr\ness of the 

 atmospheric conditions, and econumising the water 

 supply by reducing evaporation. 



Some etforts in this (liiectiini have been made by the 

 Agricultural Depai ttneiit, and two attbre.station plots have 

 been started in the neighbourhood of the Botanic Station. 

 (.)ne is .situated to the north of the Station, and is about 

 li acres in e.xtent. The second plot is to the east of the 

 station, and about J-niilc (liMant. It is some 2.1 acres in 

 area. 



The plots were established in 1902 ; the soil is i)Oor in 

 both, and they are fully e.xposed to the prevailing trade 

 winds. They had received very little cultivation at the 

 time of planting, and are similar in character to the bare 

 hillsides in the island, so that from the jirogress which the 

 trees have made, some deductions car. be tlrawn as to the 

 results which would probably follow tree [ilanting on other 

 waste spots. 



The plot situated to the north of the liotanic Station 

 lias made the best growth, and the shelter that it at present 

 affords to the Station has had a markedly beneficial effect. 

 In the year 1907-8, the growth of the trees in the plot to 

 the east of the Botanic Station showed marked im[)roveinent. 

 It would appear, however, that it is advisable, in jilanting 

 trees on land where the soil is poor and the situation 

 exposed, to give a greater iimount of cultivation during the 

 first years of their growth than was given to the two ]dots 

 attached to the Botanic Station. The results so fnr attained 

 also indicate that e.\|)enditure, within reasonable limits, on 

 stjuting woodlands in bare districts of these islands will, in 

 course of time, be amply re[ial(l, in view of the advantages 

 to be derived from their establishment. 



In 190.5, two wincblireaks of forest trees were planted 

 to the north-east and south-east of the Antigua Botanic 

 ^itiition. These have made good growth, and now afford 

 considerable shelter to the gardens. 



The efforts that have been made on Arbor I )a\ in each 

 year to encourage an interest in planting ciut young trees, on 

 the part of all classes of the cnmniunity have also had good 

 effect. In this way large numbers of young trees have been 

 phnileil in the \'ietoria I'ark, and at other spots in ami around 

 the town. 



The e-xample which has thus been set woi-.ld 

 appear to have encouraged a considerable amount of 

 interest in tree planting at Antigua, and numerous 

 enquiries are received at- the ISotanie St.ition on the 

 subject. Mr. Thomas Jackson, Curator of the Station, 

 has lately sent in some interesting and usefid notes on 

 the matter, the jwints of which are here reproduced: — 



It is likely that the planting of trees suitable for timber 

 purposes will receive more iiftelition at Antigua in the future 



than it has done in the past. There is naturally, a good 

 local demand for timber, and the construction of If 

 miles of railway, involving the utilization of a large (piantity 

 of timber for sleeper purposes, will naturally increase this 

 demand. At present the aaiount of limber grown at Antigua 

 is very small, but efibrts are already in progress which 

 indicate that the home supply will in time tend to increase. 



In the West Indies, as in other countrie.s, the great draw- 

 back to any scheme of afforestation is the length of time that 

 must elapse before aiiy return can be obtained. This diffi- 

 culty is inevitable at the start, however, and a certain 

 number of years must nece.ssarily elapse before an area of 

 newly planted woodland returns the outlay that has been, 

 expended upon it, and becomes self-supporting. 



In view of this tict, it becomes a matter of chief impor- 

 tance, when any scheme of tree planting is to be carried out, 

 to choose those species for planting which are likely to give 

 an early return, and to lie in good demand for special 

 [lurposes. 



In his papei', Mr. Jackson enumerates a list of trees 

 which uught be expected to do well at Antigua. Special 

 reference is made to the species Eacidi/j^tux ,oiit,<it>i, or ' lied 

 Guui. ' This grows satisfactorily even under .somewhat 

 unfavourable conditions At the Botanic Statum there is 

 a sample of this species, which, although no more than 

 seven or eight years old, and growing in pooi-, shallow soil has 

 a height of 35 feet, and a circumference of 3 feet 8 inches at 

 10 feet from the ground. Although the trunk of this 

 specimen divides into four at about 12 feet from the ground, 

 each stem po.s,se.s,ses serviceable timber. EiicaJif/itux rustrafa 

 is well known as a particularly hardy species, and thrives 

 well under a fairly wide range of conditions. It stands drought 

 well. The wood of the tree is durable both in the air, and 

 when buried in the soil. Pieces of ' Red Gum ' timber which 

 have been under the soil for two years at the Antigua Botanic 

 Station are still in an excellent state of preservation. In 

 crilour the wood varies from light red to very dark red. If 

 rapid growth and good quality of timber are rei|uired, 

 A', rostt'ita can be recommended. 



( )ther species of Eucaly[itus, which are suitable for 

 planting in parts of the tropics, and yield u.seful tindier, aiv 

 A'. citrii>d(iffi, E. rori/m/iosu, E. ffirtcn,) iii.<, /•'. ciiniiit'i 

 E. crebrii, and E. Diirrothcrn. 



At the Antigua Botanis Station there exist, in addition 

 to E. rostrata, specimens of E. citrior/mn and E. i-uz-iiiitii. 

 Both of these have anerect growth. The wood of the former 

 makes a useful timber ; it has a close grain and sjilits rcadilv. 

 E. tortiiitu stands drought well. Its wood is tough, haid 

 and ela.stic. ,, 



Estate owners ami others who ina\' think of 

 planting up waste lands, or at least of increasing the 

 number of trees on their c'states, may usefully make- 

 selec;tions from the following list of timber trees: — 



Lignum-vitae {(liiai'inmi ojliriua/i). A slow-i;rowiiicr 

 tree yielding wood which is exceedingly dense, hard, heavy, 

 and tough. This is extremely useful for a varietv of turnery 

 jiurposes. 



Galba (Ca/o/i/i//f/iim Cnlahrt). A tall and somewhat 

 quick-growing tree, \yhich reaches a diameter of 4 or u feet. 

 The wood is durable, and is suitable for mill rollers, frames, 

 and for shingles, etc. It bears exposure will. 



Manimee ai)ple(.I/K///«(('« iiiufi-icdwi). This tree reaches 

 40 to 60 feet high, and yicMs durable timber that is ailapted. 

 for use in exposed situations. The mammee a]iple tree is 

 not common at Antigua, and it is probable that it would not- 

 grow well in the driei'.|iarts of the island. 



