PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS — SECTION C. 97 



It may be thought that it would be advisable to push on with 

 one or two schemes and finish them rather than scatter opera- 

 tions over several centres, but there would be obvious difficulties 

 in concentrating all the labour required at one or two centres 

 and in arranging for ploughing by contract and departmentally. 



It will be noted that all the schemes now sanctioned except 

 one are in districts bordering the South Coast, where rain falls 

 all the year round. The plantation sites are on the southern 

 slopes of the mountain ranges. The labour employed on the 

 work will be mainly white. The principal species to be grown 

 in the plantations will be Piiins iiisiguis. P. pinaster and P. 

 canariensis. 



Pliu's insigfiis^ the Insignis Pine, is a rapid grower, and 

 produces a greater volume of wood per acre per annum than 

 any other pine. From 12 to 15 years it is large enough to yield 

 boxwood, and at 30 years it reaches a height of 100 feet with 

 a diameter of from 18 to 24 inches. The total yield of two 

 stands of 29 years of age at Tokai were 7,972 and 7,721 cubic 

 feet per acre, which shows a mean annual increment per acre of 

 275 and 266 cubic feet. The gross money yields were in 19s. 7d. 

 and £10 9s. lod. per acre per annum, respectively, the timber 

 being sold standing. The costs of formation and tending are 

 not known, but even granting these amounted to a high figure, 

 such as £20. and reckoning compound interest at 4 per cent., a 

 rough calculation will show the credit balance is still large. The 

 sales, of course, took place under war conditions, but, even 

 allowing for that, a good margin of profit could be counted on, 

 especially as nowadays planting is not likely to^ exceed £io-£i2 

 per acre, and more satisfactory crops could be obtained. At 

 40 years of age a fully-stocked wood of Insignis Pine on good 

 soil should yield 10.000-12,000 cubic feet of timber per acre. 



The wood of Phius insignis is not strong or durable in con- 

 tact with the ground. It is practically free from resin, and being 

 tough, is useful for fruit-boxes. It is also' a good wood for 

 match-boarding, ceilings, joinery, packing-cases, and generally 

 for any purposes where strength and durability are not required. 



Pin us pinaster, the Cluster Pine, is a hardy species. Its 

 timber is useful for flooring, rafters, joists and general car- 

 pentry. It is rather resinous for fruit-boxes, but is excellent 

 for packing-cases. When creosoted it makes a good sleeper. 



Pinus canariensis, the Canary Island Pine, produces a hard 

 and durable pine timber. It grows faster than Cluster Pine, but 

 slower than P. insignis. The wood works well and has a nice 

 grain. It is a good timber for building and constructional pur- 

 poses generally. 



To break up the masses of Pines into sub-compartments and 

 protect the boundaries against fire, deciduous trees like Oaks and 

 Poplars, as well as Blackwoods and some Eucalypts will be 

 planted according to the nature of the soil. 



At Isidenge. Canary Island Pine and Chir Pine will be the 



