South African Forestry 621 



fixing on the most economic size and situation for the plantation, 

 a rather difficult question when the most profitable ultimate use 

 of the timber is not known. 



Where so many species are brought together in a new environ- 

 ment, many of them for the first time under forest management, 

 in a land which does not permit of studying their habits in natural 

 forest, innumerable silvicultural problems arise. An earnest at- 

 tempt is being made to meet the situation, but the staff is yet too 

 small. 



Experimental thinnings are carried on in many plantations, the 

 keen demand for wood enables nearly all thinnings to be made at 

 a profit. Thinnings from E. polyanthema at 10 years of age sold 

 at 84 cents per cubic foot on the stump for the manufacture of 

 handles. 



Generally speaking, the field of forest management, containing 

 as many posers as could well be brought together under one sky, 

 of selection of species to be grown pure or mixed on temperate 

 to tropic sites, utilization of some 300 species, settlement of policies 

 to be followed in thinnings, fixing cultural regulations and finan- 

 cial rotations, still remains to be conquered by the South African 

 Forest Department. 



Nursery practice is excellent. A large number of nurseries 

 have been developed, there being eleven nurseries and nine 

 arboreta in the Transvaal alone. The Forest Department nur- 

 series in addition to supplying plantations (a nursery is estab- 

 lished in connection with any plantation of consequence) supply 

 trees for other departments and grow large quantities for cheap 

 sale to the public. Three to four million young trees are sold 

 annually at prices averaging one cent each. 



The nursery life of a seedling is very short in South Africa, 

 P. insignis is sown in August and planted out permanently in 

 December. In three years from date of seeding the tree is over 20 

 feet high. 



Gasoline tins are used extensively instead of seed beds. The 

 tins are cut in two to make two trays, the seeds are sown in the 

 trays, kept watered, and when planting time comes the trays are 

 carted to the field. 



The most extensive forest enterprise in Africa is the growing of 

 Australian wattles for tanbark production. About 300,000 acres 

 of plantations are devoted to this purpose. The species used are 



