114 ON" THE TIMBER SUPPLY OF AUSTRALIA. 



a matter of far more immediate and pressing importance to think 

 of the preservation of our native forests, and the planting of others 

 by private means as well as by the Government. On purpose, I 

 speak also of planting by private means, as I hope to see at least 

 many of our wealthy colonists take a special interest in tree plant- 

 ing. If gentlemen will follow the good examples of C. B. Fisher, 

 Esq., and of John Hodgkiss, Esq., J.P., and plant as extensively 

 on their estates (I think 40,000 forest trees), it will go far to show 

 a good example to others, who can only be moved to follow their 

 steps if they see the success of such plantations, 



' ' "Which shielded them against the broiling heat, 

 And with green branches decked the gloomy glade ; " 



and find that after twenty or twenty-five years such a plantation 

 pays handsomely. The demand for timber is beginning to arise, 

 but it will be sometime before it presses on the people with 

 sufficient force to make them turn their attention to the growth of 

 trees, which is expensive, and may yield only a return after years 

 of patient culture. Meanwhile these difficulties will increase as 

 the country becomes more and more exposed to the full force of the 

 winds, hot winds especially, sweeping over it with a violence 

 which trees cannot stand, or which cause young seedlings to be 

 scorched. " How long will the supply of native timber probably 

 last in your locality, if no further steps are taken for the preserva- 

 tion or planting of timber, keeping in view a gradual increase of 

 population ] " was the question to which an answer was requested 

 two years ago from corporations, district councils, and private 

 gentlemen. Many of the answers received by the Commissioner 

 of Crown Lands were of the following kind, viz. : Very little useful 

 timber left, except in a few isolated patches too far from any centre 

 of population. In a large number of the northern districts the 

 supply of firewood even is so limited that there is scarcely time for 

 trees now planted to attain a sufficient size to supply it when 

 wanted. How many of our farmers will manage to renew their 

 fencing, except at a ruinous cost, appears to me a mystery, when, 

 even in the better wooded districts, posts already command 50s. to 

 80s. per hundred. Thus far I have not heard of any attempt to 

 claim a land order under the Forest Planting Encouragement Act 

 of 1872. This maybe because our Government has proclaimed no 

 districts under that Act, or because the bonus offered is considered 

 insufficient, and therefore nobody asked the Government to pro- 



