76 THE GEORGE AND KNYSNA FORESTS. 



Knysna 33 „ 4 to 20 yards wide. 



George 10 „ (about) 4 to 20 yards wide. 



103 



Extension of Forestry Operations. 



At the different Forest Stations, but more particularly at 

 George and Concordia, artificial forests have been formed, in 

 extent about 2,600 acres. Many species have been planted, and 

 with few exceptions are in a thriving condition. The data 

 yielded by this experimental planting is of great value, and 

 enables forest officers to select species in accordance with the 

 differing localities. 



Within the George, Knysna and T'Zitzikama districts the 

 Government owns 344,000 acres of land, of which 92,000 acres 

 are high forest. 70,000 acres of land in the forest zone are 

 capable of being planted with timber trees, and 182,000 acres are 

 mountain land. 



The indigenous forests are a valuable State asset, and, a.s 

 already pointed out, have been supplying timber since about the 

 year 1787. Every year the demand increases, and it is not to be 

 expected that timber of large dimensions, which has taken many 

 centuries to grow, can be supplied continuously except on a very 

 long rotation. In modern forestry practice, trees of smaller 

 dimensions are grown, and these may possibly not give the same 

 quality as the primeval timber. In recent years many species 

 which formerly were considered valueless are now much sought 

 after, and possibly, when a railway is opened to Knysna, facilities 

 will be afforded to dispose of forest products for which there is 

 at present no demand. At any rate, if the indigenous forests 

 are to be worked on a basis of a sustained yield, it is self-evident 

 that a fixed quantity of timber only can be produced by the 

 existing forests. The demand for timber is not likely to decrease 

 in South Africa, and Nature having specially adapted the zone 

 described in this paper for the growth of forest trees, it would 

 seem that forestry extension on the many thousands of acres of 

 available land is most desirable in the interests of the South 

 African nation. 



