78 



j >rlT- .. . \ . t\f 



of the species composing Coast forest appears to be generally more rapid than that of the 

 species in timber forests, and as besides the trees do not attain large dimensions, the 

 rotation may be short. The protective measures applicable are the same as those for 

 High Timber forests, but they would be carried more or less thoroughly according to cir- 

 cumstances. The Coast reserves should be placed in charge of supervisors till they can 

 be taken over by forest guards and opened at a profit. At present, one supervisor between 

 the Urnzimkulu and the Umtamvuna would be perhaps sufficient. 



PLANTATIONS. 



After the first year, devoted to saving what is left of the Natal forests, the work of 

 afforestation should become the main object of a Forest Department in Natal. In the 

 meantime, land could be secured and all the necessary arrangements made for an active 

 start the following season. 



For the same reasons which make it desirable that forests should be managed by the 

 State, it is also expedient that the Government should carry the work of planting, without 

 relying on private enterprise to the same end, even partially. The system of fostering 

 tree planting by premiums or remission of taxes, has never been found to work in 

 practice. Only very high premiums have any effect, the work is done badly, without 

 unity of method, and the results are questionable. Then once the forest is created, there 

 is no more guarantee that it will be maintained than in the case of Native forests. Still, 

 the Government may encourage and facilitate tree planting, by arranging for the distri- 

 bution of seeds and plants from convenient centres, at a nominal cost. 



This is done, at the Cape, by distributing seeds and plants from the Government 

 nurseries ; but here, it would be preferable to arrange for their distribution from the 

 Durban and Maritzburg Botanic Gardens, which are more readily accessible to the public, 

 and where a larger selection might be more easily kept without interfering, as it would in 

 the Government nurseries, with the main work of re-foresting. But there are valuable 

 species that could only thrive in a climate colder than that of Maritzburg, and for which 

 a station at a greater altitude is required ; the difficulty could be met by adopting Sir 

 Theophilus Shepstone's excellent suggestion to create a third garden up country ; or else, 

 a simple nursery attached to one of the Government plantations up country might suffice 

 for the purpose. 



The choice of the species to be planted will be influenced by the requirements, the 

 climate, and the soil. 



At the outset, a much vexed question presents itself : whether it is better to propa- 

 gate indigenous, or exotic, trees. Some contend that exotic trees never form a true forest 



