THE STATE NURSERIES AND PLANTATIONS OF NEW ZEALAND. 37 



distant when thinnings from plantations will be much sought for 

 by the mining companies. 



Apparently the thinnings from the Monterey pine plantations 

 are not suitable for mining or fencing purposes, as the poles 

 consist mostly of sap-wood. To make them suitable they will 

 have to be treated by one of the antiseptic processes. The 

 Department realise that of all the preservative methods of treat- 

 ment, creosote has proved the most efficient in all countries, but 

 as the enhanced price in Europe and America prohibits its 

 profitable use in New Zealand, it may be advisable that a bonus 

 should be offered for its manufacture in that Dominion. 



A very successful experiment was made last year, in South 

 Island, of grazing sheep on the fire-breaks. A handsome profit 

 was made from the lambs and wool, and, in addition, the cost of 

 maintenance of the fire-breaks was reduced. It is thought that 

 a limited number of sheep might be grazed advantageously in 

 some of the plantations, and the experiment will be extended to 

 the North Island plantations. 



The weather was drier than usual during the spring and 

 summer of last year, and at some of the stations the young 

 plants suffered considerably. Shortage of labour was felt owing 

 to so many men having enlisted in the Expeditionary forces. 

 During the coming year it is hoped to employ discharged 

 soldiers in the State nurseries and plantations. 



The importance of providing for future supplies of timber is 

 emphasised. Calculating that the present commercial forests 

 yield 15,000 superficial feet of sawn timber per acre for the whole 

 Dominion, and that 360,000,000 superficial feet is the annual 

 consumption, it would appear that the timber reserves are being 

 depleted to the extent of 24,000 acres per annum. It is, how- 

 ever, anticipated that owing to the quicker growth of the trees 

 now being planted, they will yield more than 15,000 feet of sawn 

 timber to the acre. But before the new plantations are old 

 enough to give returns, the present timber resources will be 

 exhausted. A period of many years must therefore intervene, 

 during which the Dominion will be dependent on foreign supplies 

 at high prices. Timber to the value of ^^400, 000 was imported 

 in 191 5, all of which might have been grown at home just as 

 well as in the countries from which it was imported. 



It is anticipated that an area of 700,0^0 acres of commercial 

 forest will be required to meet the demand for timber about 



