n8 Hardy, The Forests of Victoria. [voM 



Nat. 



XXXII. 



the subterranean supply of water is tapped by an artificial 

 boring system and deep-rooted eucalypts, it may become 

 necessary to plant or allow natural restoration of the eucalyptian 

 cover to prevent wind erosion of the surface, and to make good 

 the inevitable local loss of atmospheric humidity — a loss caused 

 by removal of deep-rooting perennial x'egetation, and the 

 substitution of the more xerophytic cereal crops which draw 

 water from the upper stratum in short circuit during only a 

 third of the year. This applies more or less to other dry lands 

 of the State. In the Mallee wind-breaks transverse to the 

 direction of prevailing winds will be necessary. 



Reserves <»t somewhat inferior trees are sprinkled about the 

 Northern and Western parts of the State. These are firewood 

 reserves and reservations for the supply of mining props, laths, 

 and firewood. The early colonists' fences have lived their life. 

 and are crumbling into decay. An enormous quantity of timber 

 will be required for the supply of posts alone, allowing that wire 

 will largely be used in the future instead of rails. Within a 

 quarter of a century, which is less than the time required to 

 -row a eucalypt of splitting proportions, there will be need for 

 fence-posts for lines aggregating oxer 200,000 miles. The clash 

 of arms seems remote from Australia, but I may point out that 

 the canopy of a forest of even inferior timber affords conceal- 

 ment of troops against aerial warships and similar attacking forces. 



Now, where is the timber to come from for our future wants ? 

 The city streets and the railways are eating up our Red Gum 

 forests for paving blocks and sleepers, and a sleeper-producing 

 tree cannot be grown in 100 years.* Harbour works, house 

 construction, bridge-making. &c, and the paling demand are 

 straining the resources of the sawing and splitting timber forests, 

 and the increasing demand for poles for telegraphs, telephones, 

 electric light, &c, and piles tor piers, jetties, and wharves, are 

 required for new constructions and renewals. The reserves 

 we have may prove, when too late, to be insufficient, but we 

 may, collectively and individually, do our utmost to jealously 

 guard from wanton, careless, or deliberate injury such as we 

 have. Many «>t the reserves, at present inaccessible, will be 

 subjected to raids when railways open up the country, and for 



tlii-, we niu-t he prepared, for if the highland foresl cover is 



reduced considerably by fire or axe there will he a serious out- 

 look and perhaps ruin for the at present prosperous dwellers 



«,n the lowlands. The great heart ol Australia the "dead 



heart," as sometimes called is sterile lor want ol water. II 

 the. living, proline, vegetated parts which produce our timber, 

 wool, cereals, fruit, honey, ami dairy produce deteriorate, it 

 will probably !><■ because, in spite oi warnings both public 



■ ,|, pecie 1 ..• . M' mate and YelloM Stringy bark mature earlier, 



