The Growing of Mine Props on the High Veld. 201 



THE GROWING OF MINE PROPS ON THE 

 HIGH VELD. 



By K. A. Carlson, Conservator of Forests, TraDsvaal Conservancy. 



[Reprints of this article will be issued by the Forest Department as " Forest 

 Department Bulletin No. 1 of 1920," and correspondence on the subject should be 

 addressed to that Department. — Acting Editor.] 



Introductory Remarks. 



Afforestation is a subject which has been receiving a great amount 

 of attention during- recent years, and the shortage of timber during 

 the war greatly accentuated interest in the matter. While it is 

 recognized that the growing of timber for technical purposes involves 

 a large outlay of capital, from which large returns cannot be expected 

 tor many years, and is therefore an undertaking more suited for 

 State and other permanent institutions than private enterprise, yet 

 the cultivation of trees, especially when they are likely to bring in 

 a comparatively early return, is a proposition which appeals to many. 

 It is therefore not surprising that large numbers of trees have been 

 and are being planted on the high veld for the production of rough 

 mining timber, props, and lagging-, especially as such planting at 

 the same time can l)e made to provide shade and shelter for stock 

 and crops and to improve farms generally. 



Many applications for advice on this subject are received by the 

 Forest Department, and this bulletin has been prepared with a view 

 to assisting people who intend to plant with the above object. 



In so far as the growing of mine props is concerned, a word of 

 warning must be given. The market for mine props is not unlimited, 

 and over-production within the next few decades is not improbable. 

 As it is the fashion now to start syndicates for the production of this 

 class of material, usually on what is described as the '^ plot system," 

 it is well that promoters and investors alike should bear this in mind. 

 Before embarking on a scheme of tree-planting, the following factors 

 should be taken into consideration and each one carefully studied. 



Situation. 



Although some classes of industrial timbers can be grown, 

 within limitations, in parts of the high veld table lands, this area 

 cannot compete in the production of high grade material of large 

 dimensions with true forest land on and in the vicinity of our eastern 

 mountain ranges and escarpments with their liigher rainfall and more 

 equable climate. The high veld, however, is well enough adapted 

 for growing- props, lagging, fuel, and other low-grade oood. A large 

 portion of the high veld area has the advantage of proximity to 

 markets, an important factor in these days of increasing railway 



