The Growing op Mine Props on the High Veld. 269 



hand as to preclude the use of cultivators, and hand labour has to be 

 resorted to. Once a " stand " has attained " forest conditions," no 

 further cultivation is necessary. 



8. Fire Protection 



In a properly laid out plantation under efficient management, 

 the cost of fire protection should be small. This cost may, however, 

 easily become unduly swelled hy bad planning in the first instance 

 and by delay in arriving at " forest conditions." The risk of loss 

 from fire is smallest in a well kept ''normal stand" and becomes 

 greater- the more a stand deviates from the normal. 



9. Thinning. 



It has been pointed out that after establishing " forest 

 conditions," the next consideration is to maintain a " normal stand " 

 throughout the rotation of the crop by means of periodic thinnings. 

 Also that the degree and frequency of these thinnings must be 

 regulated according to the species, situation, variation of seasons, 

 and the class of material it is desired to produce. The first thinning 

 is usually called a cleaning when the material removed is too small 

 or inferior to yield a monetary return. As a rule the cost of cleaning- 

 is very small. In the vicinity of markets the sale of material from 

 subsequent thinnings should more than cover the cost of the operation 

 to an ever increasing extent, thus bringing in a gradually growing 

 interest on the capital outlay before the final crop is felled. 



It is safer to thin lightly and frequently than too heavily at one 

 time, but undue delay may result in serious loss of growth and injury 

 to the final crop. 



10. Tran:iport. 



Cost of transport has a very important bearing on the financial 

 result, and depends entirely on local conditions. Valuable timbers 

 can, of course, stand a much higher rate of transport than low grade 

 material. 



Yield. 



When it was first decided to write this Btilletin, it was hoped to 

 include some average figures of yield for certain of the more important 

 species, such as Euc. viminalis, Euc. rostrata, and Euc. globulus, of 

 which there are many private plantations on the high veld, and more 

 particularly within the " Rand " area, ranging from ten to thirty 

 years of age. On investigating these it was found, however, that in 

 no single instance have they been treated on proper sylvicultural 

 lines, nor have any records been kept in the necessary form, and there 

 are no Government plantations within the areas which are typical 

 of the conditions of soil, climate, and species dealt with in the present 

 publication. Under the circumstances all idea of including even 

 approximate figures of yield had to be reluctantly abandoned for the 

 present. 



Plot System. 



The ustial system on which a tree planting sjaidicate bases its 

 prospectus is to divide the area into 10 or 20 acre plots and to offer 

 these to the public as freehold stands. There are some serious draw- 

 backs to this plan which are probably not realized either by promoters 

 or investors. 



