54 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



suspect exaggeration, but this is unlikely in view of the fact that 

 it is a foreigner who describes it. 



I have dwelt at some length on these fire conservancy matters, 

 because it seems to me that in many places where fire protection 

 is extremely necessary it is not thoroughly understood, and 

 although the system of one place may not be applicable to 

 others, yet useful hints can often be exchanged. I may be 

 wronging those concerned, but it does seem strange that fires 

 should get so entirely out of hand as they do on the other side 

 of the Atlantic. The foresters of different countries might well 

 study the fire conservancy methods of others, and more 

 especially see them in action. American foresters do indeed 

 go to see Indian forests, but it is in the cold weather, and not 

 when fires are actually being fought. 



M. Parde's description of Mr Tait's plantations of eucalyptus 

 and acacia (particularly A. fyciiatitha) is very interesting, as 

 showing what can be done with exotics. The plantations are 

 happily named "New Tasmania" and "New Australia." They 

 cover 1440 acres. One is on a steep slope at from 250 feet to 

 500 feet above sea-level, the other on a plateau at 500 feet. 

 The soil is siliceous and pebbly, fairly deep in the first case, 

 but on the plateau the impermeable undersoil is sometimes too 

 near the surface, resulting in marshy ground. Mr Tait has 

 tried Eucalyptus globulus, rostrata, viminalis, resinifeni, bicolor, 

 tereticornis, Risdo/ii, oblt'qua, diversicolor, and polyanthema ; and 

 Acacia pyctiantha, iiiolltsima, decurrens, dealbata and melanoxylon. 

 So far he prefers E. globulus and A. pycnantha. The planting 

 began in 1880, and the proprietor estimates that each plant 

 has cost him about fourpence, but that this price should have 

 been halved. It has been thoroughly successful from the first, 

 and the eucalyptus trees are already 11 inches to 13^ inches in 

 diameter and 65 feet to 100 feet high, forming dense and 

 vigorous woods. Acacias, especially A. pycnantha, are sometimes 

 introduced with great success under the eucalyptus. This sounds 

 an ideal mixture, considering the habit of the eucalyptus of 

 hanging its leaves downwards, and so causing the minimum of 

 shade. 



Whereas the eucalyptus has been planted, the acacia has 

 generally been sown. It seems likely that the seed of the first 

 acacias has been used, for they seed in a very few years, five or 

 six only. Indeed both the eucalyptus and the acacia seed and 



