NOTES AND QUERIES. 1 65 



one installed, it is important to sterilise the surrounding soil. 

 'The simplest method is to reinforce the weakened pole by 

 setting a stub alongside. 



Forestry in South Africa. 



According to the Annual Report of the Forest Department 

 of the Union of South Africa for the year ended 31st March 

 1 918, the Union, owing to the scanty area under wood, has 

 felt the pinch of war conditions more severely even than 

 Australia and New Zealand. Planting has, however, been 

 carried on on a considerable scale, especially by private enter- 

 prise. Even when the national forests of the Union, however, 

 are brought to a high state of productivity, which will take 

 a long time, they will not supply more than 5 per cent, of 

 the probable future requirements of softwood timber, which 

 comprises 90 per cent, of the consumption. It is, therefore, 

 satisfactory to note that, in addition to the ordinary funds 

 provided in the Revenue Estimates, a sum of ^50,000 was 

 granted for the year 191 8-1 9 for afforestation purposes. 

 During the year under discussion 2065 acres were afforested, 

 in addition to 1566 acres at Railway Sleeper Plantations. A 

 considerable amount of land also received preliminary cultiva- 

 tion with a view to planting during the following financial 

 year. 



As regards the comparison between indigenous forests and 

 plantations, it is noted that the revenue from the latter is 

 almost double that from the former, and more than double if 

 railway plantation returns are included. For the year the 

 return from the indigenous forests was nearly ^23,000, and 

 from the plantations, including the railway plantations, nearly 

 ^49>°°°- 



REVIEWS AND NOTICES OF BOOKS. 



Regional Spread op Moisture in the Wood of Trees — I. Decidtwus- 



leaved Trees during the Period late Autumn to Early Spring. 



By W. G. Craib. Notes from the Royal Botanic Garden, 



Edinburgh. 



Researches as to the amount and distribution of water in the 



tree at different seasons have been conducted on the Continent 



