908 Agricultural Journal of Victoria. 



Creswick^ Bailiestou, Whroo, Beualla, Yarrawong-a, Barmali Island, 

 Heatlicote, Knowslej;, Crosbie, and other districts will need careful 

 examination in this connection. 



The rapid increase of dredging operations in the vicinity of thinly- 

 clad firewood areus is a cause of some disquiet. The consumption of 

 fuel from the local Castlemaine forests for dredging last year amounted 

 to 3,500 tons. These forests cannot long stand this strain. 



The rapid increase of insect pests and parasitic growths is also a 

 cause for some concern. The forests at Maryborough, Tarnagulla, 

 Warrowitue, Moormbool and Eushworth are badly infested with 

 mistletoe ; in the case of Kushworth, a valuable young ironbark forest 

 is seriously menaced. Efforts have been made to cope with this evil, 

 and it is proposed to take vigorous ineasures this year. This pest 

 however spreads into forests from adjoining paddocks and selections, 

 and there is no present power to compel the landowners to take any 

 action. It is suggested that this might be considered in connection 

 with the Forest Bill. 



There is little cause to doubt that the rapid increase of insect 

 pests is directly due to the enormous mortality of insectivorous birds 

 due to the laying of poisoned grain for vermin destruction purposes. 

 Shooting in forests, except by licensed sportsmen, might profitably 

 be prohibited for the sake of these birds, and also for the purpose of 

 minimising forest fires. The small boy using shot in his pea-rifle is 

 responsible for the death of great numbers of these valuable birds. 



Kingbarking permits are responsible for much destruction of 

 valuable timber. It would be a step in the right direction if none 

 were granted in well timbered country, unless a competent forest 

 officer is stationed near enough to supervise. The selector's view of 

 what is crooked and useless timber is usually a fairly comprehensive 

 one. 



A few words may be spared concerning the new tmiber trophy. 

 Under instructions from the Director — and by the direction of the late 

 Minister — at very short notice an admittedly handsome structure has 

 been built in the shape of a room without a roof. In preparing it, 

 one of the objects the writer — who has for many years made articles 

 of furniture of " common " Victorian hardwoods — kept in view, was 

 to make evident the beauty of grain and the softness and warmth of 

 colour of these ^'common" timbers, such as blue gum, red gum, 

 mountain ash, grey box and the ironbarks, and the suitability of 

 some or all of them for superior cabinet work and internal fittings for 

 high-class buildings. These woods are practically unknown for these 

 purposes, but an inspection of the trophy should convince architects 

 and others interested that they need not go out of this State for high- 

 class, low-priced cabinet woods. So little are our own woods 

 thought of in this connection that planks ten inches wide could not 

 be obtained in Melbourne, and, excepting the blackwood, most of 

 the trophy was built from seasoned railway sleepers. Blackwood, of 

 course, is well known as one of the handsomest of figiired timbers, 

 yet great quantities of it, obtained from alienated lands, are still 



