92 PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS SECTION C. 



In the Cape Province commercial afforestation propositions 

 are confined to the coast and coastal mountains in the natural 

 forest zone, though trees and small plantations to provide for 

 local needs can be grown in selected places in all but the most 

 arid parts. 



In Natal forestry under Government auspices has had a 

 chequered career. A most excellent forest policy was laid down 

 in 1889 by H. G. Fourcade in a careful report, but unfortunate! 

 after a feeble attempt to put it into practice under a German 

 forest officer it was abandoned. After the Boer War the sub- 

 ject was again taken up, and steps taken to conserve what was 

 left of the indigenous forests ; further, plantations were started 

 at Cedara, Empangeni, and on a smaller scale at other centres. 

 During the period of retrenchment in 1907 the young Depart- 

 ment which had sprung up was seriously affected, and till 

 Union and some time after progress was slow. Even now the 

 total area of Government plantation in Natal and Zululand is 

 only a little over 2,500 acres, but this is being regularly added to. 

 As is well known, there is no Province in the Union where more 

 tree planting has been done by private enterprise than in Natal, 

 and this probably explains why so little has been accomplished 

 in this direction by past Governments. 



There are about 250,000 acres of wattle plantation in Natal, 

 and on many farms are to be seen fine plantations and collection 

 of exotic trees. The planting of hardwoods has been and is 

 most in favour, and the Rand has reason to be thankful that so 

 much was done in this way in former years, for Natal has been 

 a fruitful source of supply for the timber it requires. 



Pines, generally speaking, have given disappointing results. 

 Possibly this is due to wrong kinds having been planted. The 

 species most favoured have been Pinus insignis and P. pinaster, 

 but it is doubtful if these are climatically suited to Natal condi- 

 tions any more than they are to the summer rainfall areas of 

 the Eastern Province and the Transvaal. It is likely more satis- 

 factory results will be obtained from other kinds, such as Pinus 

 longifolia, the Chir Pine, on the hills av/ay froiii the coast, and 

 from species such as P. mistralis, P. tacda, and P. mitls, both on 

 the coast and the hills. Specimens of some of these pines are 

 thriving in Natal, but records of trials that may have failed are 

 unfortunately lacking. 



Natal is likely to become highly industriahsed in time, and 

 the need for softwood timber will be strongly felt, and this 

 pK)int must be kept in view in determining the future policy of 

 the Department, and an effort made to extend the planting of 

 Conifers. 



Before the Boer War Government afforestation in the 

 Transvaal was confined to one Eucalypt plantation near Pretoria, 

 which was planted by contract in 1896. After the war Govern- 

 ment plantations ancl nurseries were started in various parts of 

 the Province, and since the capabilities of the country for affores- 

 tation were so little known much work of an experimental nature 



