74 



forest tree in the world. Even in California, on account 

 of its hardiness and rapidity of growth, it is preferred, in 

 plantations, to Eedwood and the other valuable native 

 conifers. In the Cape Peninsula it grows rapidly and 

 vigorously and is the principal forest tree of the country. 

 Average increment from 100 to 300 cubic ft. per acre per 

 year. The maximum acre increment obtained from a 14 

 year plantation at Plumstead is 341 cubic ft., or almost 

 exactly half the maximum acre increment obtained from 

 the Blue-gum on the Nilgiris. t reproduces itself 

 abundantly from self-sown seedings, and forms a well- 

 shaped tree and useful coarse timber in spite of the unskil- 

 ful treatment to which it is usually subjected. Isolated 

 trees produce very coarse knotty wood ; trees in close 

 plantations the reverse. Properly grown and injected 

 timber could be used, as it is in France, for railway 

 sleepers, paving blocks, and almost every purpose, exeept 

 fine carpentry. The seed if well stored keeps good for 

 three or four years. The Forest Department propagates 

 Cluster-pine more largely than any other tree. From 6 to 

 8 tons of seed are used yearly in the Western Conservancy, 

 chiefly on the Cape Flats. On account of birds, mice, and 

 excessive wet it is necessary to employ as much as 40 

 or 50 pounds of seed to the acre. Though the ground 

 is cold and wet in autumn it is more so in spring while 

 late spring is followed too soon by the drought of 

 summer. Midwinter sowings rot in the ground. Early 

 autumn sowings give decidedly the best results. The 

 rule in the Forest Department is to begin sowings in the 

 Cape Peninsula with the first good rains after the middle 

 of April. 



The natural reproduction of Cluster-pine in the South 

 Western districts of Cape Colony is as strong as that of 

 the Scotch pine in England. In the Cape Peninsula the 

 Cluster-pine woods re- sow themselves naturally and tend 

 to extend in every direction. At Genadendahl the Cluster- 

 pine may be seen conquering the strong veld vegetation 

 and spreading itself up the mountain side. C. hamiltoni 

 is a variety of Cluster-pine a larger, finer tree than the 

 common Cluster-pine. An ounce of clean Cluster- pine seed 

 averages 725 grains. 



