124 MANAGEMENT AND SALE OF TIMBER. 



trees per acre were thinned out, thus giving an account of a little 

 over 200 trees per acre or about 39s. Subsequent thinnings, blown 

 wood, and decayed trees, would amount to 100 trees more; these 

 added to the present remaining crop of 250 trees per acre, give 

 an account in all of 550 trees out of the 5,000 planted, thus 

 showing that, however many trees are planted, comparatively few 

 will come to a profitable size. 



After continuing the thinning for about 10 years with a view 

 to improve the permanent crop, which was sickly, and in a back- 

 going state, it was ultimately found that, the per centage of trees 

 which died was annually increasing ; all hopes of recovery were 

 then given up, and it was resolved to cut and clear the ground, 

 disposing of the crop by private contract in suitable lots. 



The following are three separate valuations of the plantation 

 in different places : — 



128 Timber trees, 7 feet each, = 896 feet, at 6d. per foot, £22 8 



80 Sparwood do., 5 to 8 inches diameter at 12 f t , at Is. 6d. each, 6 

 56 Propwood do., 3 to 5 do. do. at 12 feet, at 6d. do., 1 8 



1st Value per Acre, - - £29 16 



58 Timber trees, average 7 ft. each, = 406 feet, at 6d. per foot, £ 1 3 



i!'5 Sparwood do , 5 to 8 diameter at 12 feet, at Is. 6d. each, 14 12 6 



68 Propwood trees, 3 to 5 do. do., at 6d. each, - 1 14 



2nd Value per Acre, - £26 9 6 



61 Timber trees, average 7 ft. each, = 427 ft., at 6d. per foot, £10 13 6 



121 Sparwood trees, 5 to 8 in. diameter at 12 ft , at Is. 6d. each, 9 16 



30 Propwood do., 3 to 5 do. do. at 12 ft., at 6d. each, 15 



3rd Value per Acre, - - £-20 10 



If we accept £26 7s. 6d. as the medium average value per 

 acre, and 60 years as the average age, the returns would stand 



thus : — 



£26 7s. 6d. -r- 60 = 8s. 9|d., annual return per acre. 

 Against this there is a balance : — 



60 years' rent for ground, at Is. 6d. per acre, 

 Compound interest added yearly, at 4 per cent., 

 Expenses of plants, planting, enclosing, &c . about 

 Compound interest added annually, at 4 per cent., 



The writer would remark that since this plantation was not 

 thinned till past the period of being benefitted, the most 



