Till', t I';i).\l-t.\ I'l.ANTATIOX. 501 



avenues, shelter and ])i"()tecti\e hells on the estate, and the skill 

 shown is demonstrated to-day hy the heautiful ai>])earance of 

 the whole estate, the estate being considerably enhanced in 

 value l)oth from a scenic as well as a scientific ])()int of viev> . 

 and students of arboriculture and forestry at the Agricultural 

 College may see many varieties of trees, and can select kinds 

 for planting on their own farms, or advise others as to the right 

 kinds to use. 



Afforestation operations were continued yearly, and in lyoC) 

 it was reported that there were 1,004 acres planted, and some 

 100 acres of land prepared for planting during the ensuini»' year. 



One of the objects was to plant as many varieties of trees 

 as possible, in order that their value and suitability to the locality 

 ma}' be thoroughly tested ; this object was steadily kept in view, 

 and to-day many interesting studies can be made as to rate of 

 growth, mode of development, etc., of the various kinds. At a 

 later date, when the trees are sufficiently developed, the qualit}- 

 of timber produced by each species will be determined. 



Unfortunately, just after the scheme of afforestation was 

 launched, depression set in, and owing to the difficulty of finding 

 adequate funds, the work was considerably curtailed and practi- 

 cally brought to a standstill. In 1907 Mr. Sim was retrenched 

 and his office abolished. The work of the Department was then 

 placed under the control of the Director of Agriculture and 

 Forestry, and continued under his supervision until shortly after 

 the Union of the Colonies came about in lyio. 



The young plantation has had to contend against periods of 

 drought, hailstorms, snowstorms and frost, but notwithstanding 

 all these drawbacks continued until iQog to thrive and give excel- 

 lent results in regard to growth, etc. 



In August, 1909, a calamity befel the plantation. During 

 a violent, hot north-westerly wind, a fire was started by a train 

 travelling north, first at Riet Spruit. But this was successfully 

 extinguished. Subsequently another fire was started near Howick 

 Rail, which swept over the veld and jiunped the existing fire- 

 breaks, and practically passed through the whole plantation. 

 Nearly all the Cluster Pine compartments were totally destroyed, 

 and the majority of the Gums were injured to such an extent 

 that they had to be coppiced. 



All the reports available indicate that fire-breaks which 

 were considered adequate had been made to meet all ordinar\- 

 circumstances, but the force of the hurricane was such that 

 breaks 150 yards wide would not have stemmed the onward pro- 

 gress of the fire. At the time it was reported that some 400 

 acres of the plantation were totally destroyed, and the remainder, 

 principally Eucalypts, Wattles and Blackwoods, with the ex- 

 ception of some of the groups near the College and a few plots 

 scattered about the plantation, were so badly injured that they 

 had to be coppiced. Fortunately, vigorous shoots developed. 

 The re-survey of the plantation showed that, in reality, a larger 

 area had been totally destroyed. 



