250 



I might go on giving many more instances of this growth of the Eucalyptus forests within the last 

 quarter of a century, but those I have given will serve to show how widespread this re-foresting of the 

 country has been since the time when the white man appeared in Gippsland, and dispossessed the aboriginal 

 occupiers, or to whom we owe more than is generally surmised for having unintentionally prepared it, by 

 their annual burnings, for our occupation. (A. H. Howitt in Trans. Roy. Soc. Vict., ii, 109, 1890.) 



The following is based on what I wrote in the Agric. Gazette, N .S.W., vol. vi, 

 593 (1895), and also issue for April, 1905 :— 



The Spontaneous Growth of Trees. — Natural regeneration or re-afEorestation is proceeding often 

 without our knowledge, and even in spite of ourselves — quietly, surely. 



I was informed here (Failford) and also on the A. A. Company's Estate (Gloucester) that formerly 

 the hills were often destitute of timber where now there is dense forest. The reason of this change is 

 attributed to the over-stocking of the country, the stock eating down the grass so that bush fires (which 

 formerly consumed the seedlings of forest trees) are now less frequent, and devastate smaller areas than they 

 used to do. . . . Mr. Forester Rudder expresses the opinion that cattle directly aid the propagation 

 of trees by trampling the seeds into the ground. 



In Australia and Tasmania the following experience is not uncommon. When sheep are folded 

 the manure becomes quite thick. In a few years, if the sheep be removed, Eucalypts come up freely. This 

 occurs in places in which they were not previously found. It seems to me that this points to the sheep 

 licking up the seed with their feed and redepositing it in manure. Vigorous growth would take place in 

 fertilised soil. Perhaps this matter of natural afforestation (not re-afforestation, as it takes place in areas 

 not previou.sly known to carry trees) may be entirely explained by herbivora grazing in forest land and 

 depositing their dung on non-forest land. The obvious reason why this afforestation does not take place 

 more abundantly, is because sheep and cattle readily eat down young seedlings, which must therefore 

 be protected accidentally or otherwise in order that they may reach maturity. 



See also the extract from Dr. Howitt's paper just quoted. 



This natural spread of forests should be comfort to those who are apt only to 

 consider the destructive action of the timber-getter, and to lose sight of the compensating 

 influences that are at work. 



The springing up of young forest growths where there was formerly forest is, 

 of course, common enough. We do not know how long many seeds mil remain dormant 

 in or on the ground after the old growth has been removed. It is not an uncommon 

 thing to see a straight avenue of trees not artificially planted. One fine avenue known 

 to me is along the line of an old chock and log fence, and consists of She-Oaks {Casuarina)*. 

 Oak saplings were used as top-rails for this fence, the seed from the saplings germinated, 

 and the young growth was protected from stock by the fence. The seedlings grew 

 into fine trees, and finally the old fence was removed, leaving only the Une of trees which 

 followed the direction of the fence. I have seen a similar occurrence \\ith the Grey 

 Box [Eucalyptus hemiphloia) in the Bringelly, N.S.W., district. 



C. — Increment Curves. 



There would appear to have only been published, as regards botanically identified 

 trees, data concerning very few species. 



Determination of Increment by Stem Analysis. — The scientific forester requires 

 more than the empirical data of rate of growth to which I have already referred. He 

 requires a proper record of growth or increment ascertained by scientific methods. 



* Ji.'j., Agricutliiral Gazcllf, vii, 514. 



