10 July, 1916.] Tree-planting Competition. 415 



A brief note respecting the nature of the plantations of the 

 successful competitors may be of interest. 



A. Holland, 1st in Division 2, has planted twelve plantations of 

 * sugar gums ' and one of ' pepper trees ' around a small water reserve 

 and at his house at Avon Plains, 20 miles from St. Arnaud. These 

 trees have all made fine growth, and are quite a feature in a bare, treeless 

 district. Pines and other trees had been previously planted, but 

 entirely failed to grow. The plantations total 15 acres, and the gums 

 are about 15 feet in height. (It is stated that the sugar gums were first 

 planted in this portion of Victoria in 1885 by the late John Crewar, 

 who obtained the seeds from the South Australian Government. The 

 plants from these seeds are still thriving, and are very fine specimens.) 



J. W. Grubb, Traralgon, 1st in Division 3. — The plantations consist 

 of lines around various paddocks, a patch of about 3 acres for timber, 

 and specimens for ornament and shelter. Pinus insignis and 

 P. canariensis have been planted about 30 feet apart on the boundary 

 lines, with Eucalyptus hotryoides midway between. The pines have 

 made fine growth, but the gums have suffered from insect attacks. They 

 are all growing, and may do well noAV. The timber patch is planted 

 with ]')ines, sycamores, peppermints, and box, set out 6 feet apart. The 

 specimen and ornamental trees are very different in character and are 

 doing well. 



C. C. Rossiter, Hedley, 2nd in Division 3. — The property of this 

 competitor was a dense tea-tree swamp eight years ago. It is now all 

 drained and cleared, except for a few patches of the tea-tree left for 

 stock shelter, but these are steadily dying out. The owner planted 

 Pinus insignis about seven years ago, and a fine shelter bolt now exists. 

 A new plantation of 8 acres was fonned for the competition, and Pinus 

 insignis was liberally planted. These trees are all thriving. Cupressus 

 macrocarpa, too, is doing fairly well here, but eucalypts of various 

 species have been tried and have failed. Acacias and a few oaks are 

 growing satisfactorily. A short hedge of about 100 feet of * Murray 

 Pine,' Callitris rhomhoidea (cupressiformis) , is most satisfactory, and 

 foi-ms, without any trimming, a dense screen about 7 feet high and 

 beautiful in its deep green colouring. The pine and other trees have 

 all been pruned to a clean stem to allow of sheep being jdafod in the 

 enclosures to feed off the grass as a protective measure against fire. 



E. Bell, Jun., 1st in Division 4. — The place is situated at Mockinya, 

 about 25 miles from ITorsham, where some 20 acres of sandy land have 

 been planted, principally with black wattles and sugar gums. .Vlthough 

 there was no great variety of jdants here, they bad boon cnrcfnlly 

 cultivated, and Avere all in good condition. 



Mrs. M. Tredea, 1st in Division f!. -A small fann situated at 

 Cooma, about 13 miles from Tatui'a, and placed in the section for 

 'small holdings irrigated.' Gums of several kinds have boon planted 

 in lines around various small paddocks. Pinus insignis, willows along 

 the channels and in a slight depression, and acacias of many species 

 have also l)eon pbintcd, together with a wide selection of other trees. 

 This is a most satisfactory plantation, and would be diHicnlt to surpass. 

 The whole of the trees have made excellent growtli, have been properly 

 attended to, and have l)eon planted witli good judgment. 



