PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS — SECTION C. 



93 



was undertaken. In 1903 the Government of the day secured 

 the services of D. E. Hutchins to report on forestry in the Trans- 

 vaal. Hutchins found the mistake made in the Eastern Province 

 and Natal being- repeated, and that in spite of the difference in 

 climatic conditions the same trees were being planted in the 

 Transvaal as in the Cape. He recommended a radical change in 

 policy, and urged, among other things, that the Transvaal should 

 draw on the rich forest flora of Mexico for its trees, as Mexico, 

 of all countries in the world, most resembled the Transvaal in 

 climate. This policy was adopted, but great difficulty has all 

 along been experienced in obtaining the required seeds on 

 account of the chronically disturbed state of Mexico and subse- 

 qently the war. 



The first importations were made in 1907. To obtain these 

 seeds it was necessary to send a collector specially from the 

 United States. The expedition was satisfactory, and led to the 

 introduction into the Union of two Pines from Northern Mexico 

 — Pinits arizonica and P. cngelmanni or. as it is perhaps more 

 correctly named, P. macrophylla. The results have so far 

 amply justified Hutchin's predictions. These species are being 

 tested often imder very adverse conditions alongside the species 

 that have hitherto been grown in the country, and in every case 

 are more reliable in growth and hardiness. It may be of interest 

 to give here some particulars of their growth under plantation 

 conditions. 



About the same time some Pinus montezitmce transplants 

 were raised, and a year later some P. leiophylla. Then followed 

 some P. montezumcc var. hartzvegli, P. montezunKe var. lindleyi, 

 P. patula, P. teocote, P. lumholtsii, P. hnvsoni, P. oocarpa var. 



