THUJA GIGANTEA AND DOUGLAS FIR IN MIXTURE. IO9 



Thuja. The volume of timber per acre, according to quarter- 

 girth measurement to 5 inches diameter, deducting i inch for 

 bark, is as follows: — Douglas fir, 5000 cubic feet per acre; and 

 Thuja gigantea, 2430 cubic feet per acre. This gives the high 

 total of 7430 cubic feet per acre. 



Existing condition. — At present the plantation is in the hands 

 of the wood cutters, who are employed in preparing the timber 

 for market, on contract at 2^d. per tree. The stems present 

 some considerable difficulty in their removal, as they are lying 

 six or seven deep and are badly crossed. The gales of 191 1 

 and 19 1 2 were from the north-west, so that the stems lie with 

 their crowns down hill in a south-easterly direction. A number 

 were broken across by the force of the storm. As the work 

 of cleaning goes on large numbers of Douglas fir and Thuja 

 seedlings are found growing under the cover of the blown 

 trees. Many of these will be destroyed during the operations of 

 removal, but it is hoped that a full crop of young growth will 

 establish itself in the future. Rabbits have obtained an entrance 

 and destroyed a certain number of seedlings, but it is proposed 

 to erect a rabbit-proof fence round the regeneration area. 



Transport and uses. — The plantation is situated within a few 

 yards of a good road which runs along the foreshore. The 

 stems will be cross-cut into the desired lengths in the wood, and 

 will afterwards be hauled by horse on to the foreshore, where 

 they will be stored until there is sufficient to make a boat-load. 

 It is possible that an opening for poles 50 to 60 feet long, with a 

 diameter of 6 inches at the small end, will be obtained in the 

 Clyde ship-building yards. The probable price for such timber 

 would be about 15s. per pole. Failing this market there is a 

 good demand for it for pit-wood at 5d. per cubic foot, lying in 

 the wood, for material over 8 inches on the side. The small 

 trees and tops may be sold for i|d. per lineal foot cut off root, 

 and snedded. 



Conclusions. — Thus it would appear that Douglas fir grown 

 in single mixture with Thuja is superior in quality to Douglas 

 that has been grown pure. Up to the 36th year the Thuja is 

 only 10 feet less in height-growth than the Douglas, and does 

 not up to this age suffer from suppression. The stems of the 

 Thuja in this plantation are almost perfectly cylindrical, and 

 do not show the fluted appearance typical of stems grown in the 

 open. Under this unexpectedly short rotation the Douglas. 



