June 15, 1912.] 



THE GARDENERS 



CHRONICLE. 



395 



Manur.ng Forest TRZEs.-The paper read were only about 30 vears old. The city of Berlin 

 by Dr. Schwappach, Professor of Forestry at has obtained encour'aging results by top-dressing 

 Eberswalde, at the sixth International Forestry tho soil of Pine woods with a layer of city refuse 



Congress 



up to a depth of 8 inches. It is, however, in 



forest trees, a subject which has received con- the early stages of trees growing in poor soils that 



siderable attention on the Continent during the the value of manuring becomes most apparent, 



past decade. Twenty years ago a series of experi- In poor, sandy soils, where the supply of nitrogen 



ments in forestry manuring weye commenced in is low, the problem of supplying fresh nitrogen 



Belgium and Holland, and a little later in Ger- in a slowly available form at low cost is worthy 



many. The present results show that good soils of attention ; nitrate of soda and sulphate of 



contain the necessary food substances in sufficient ammonia are much too rapid in their action, and 



quantity for forest trees, and that artificial ma- 



4 * 



the Continental experiments tend to show that 



nures are only necessary when the soil is becoming the necessary nitrogen may best be obtained from 

 exhausted or when it is important to help the the plant residues from (1) the planting of Lesu- 



exhausted or when it is important to help the 

 trees to pass over some critical stage such' as 

 danger from frost or game. As Dr. Schwappach 

 observed, manuring has not the same importance 

 in forestry as in agriculture. The amount of 



minosae, especially Lupins and Acacias on sandy 

 soils, and Trefoil and grey Alder on chalky soils ; 



the district dorp and bartered for such com- 

 modities as were needed to meet the simple 

 wants of the farmers. In those days the 

 cattle consisted mainly of what are known as 

 Kaffir cattle and of the Africander variety. 

 Woolled sheep were iJIen, as now, found only on 

 the High Veld, and there only in limited num- 

 bers. Farms outside Pretoria itself were valued 

 at Is. and Is. 6d. per morgen. Wherever one 

 turns to-day he will find that the Kaffir cattle 

 and the Africander are giving place to the 

 pedigree stock. 



Board of Agriculture and Fisheries. 

 In addition to supplying printed information, 

 the Board also endeavour to assist farmers and 



(2) dressings with turf and other substances con- gardeners in certain other directions. Specimens 



mineral salts retained in timber 



is relatively 



taining humus; (3) covering the soil with Lupin 

 haulm, Potato tops, straw, leaves, and small 



of insects and fungi are identified, and advice is 

 given as to preventive and remedial measures. 



^- ^ j j . — — . m — _ ^_ — — — _ — — w — — — — — _ ^»- — B ^v- — -^ W W ■ ^V^ W ~^W— ^^^ W 



small, and, by the fall of their leaves, the trees twigs; or inter-planting with a species having a Specimens forwarded for this purpose should be 



during their growth return to the soil the greater heavy leaf-fall, such as Pinus rigida and P. mon- securely packed in a strong tin or wooden box 



part of their mineral constituents, thus rendering tana. Lupins have yielded good results, and are with a tightly-fitting lid, and addressed to the 



artificial manures almost unnecessary. The recommended for planting either as a preparatory Secretary, Board of Agriculture and Fisheries, 



Fig. 



igO. — MESSRS. JAMES CARTER AND CO. S EXHIBIT OF FLOWERING PLANTS AT THE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION 



application of manure to forest trees causes a 

 great increase in the cost of upkeep — nitro- 

 genous manures induce excessive growth of weeds, 

 which require considerable attention — and in view 

 of the long period which must elapse between the 

 planting and felling of a forest, it cannot, as a 

 general rule, prove remunerative. In the case of 

 middle-aged woods, whose roots are compara- 



(See p» xi. of Exhibition Supplement in the issue for May 25.) 



crop or between the rows of the young trees. Whitehall Place, S.W. Advice on other matters 

 For the first purpose the yellow Lupin, in which is also given, but, having regard to the variety of 



local conditions, it is usually preferable that appli- 

 cation for information on such subjects as the uses 

 of manures and feeding stuffs, or the kind of 

 crops suited for a particular district, should be 

 land, it is advisable to grow Trifolium hybridum made to the local Agricultural College. Com- 

 between the trees. In central Europe, species plaints relating to the adulteration of agricultural 



case about 4 cwt. per acre of basic slag and 

 2£ cwt. of kainit per acre should be applied, and 

 for the second the blue Lupins are considered to 

 be the best. In place of Lupins on chalky heath- 



tively deep, the use of ordinary manures is im- such as Acacia on sandy soil and grey Alder on articles, or the sale of goods under false descrip 



practicable, and it seems that the only profitable 

 method of encouraging growth in such woods is 

 to endeavour to bring about the quicker decay 

 of the fallen leaves and twigs by the action of 

 some decomposing agent, such as lime, or by 

 digging the surface soil. The experiment tried 

 by ^the Berlin Irrigation Works of irrigating a 

 60-year-old Pinewood wood with sewage water 

 was a decided failure. The monthly application 

 of sewage water during the growing seasons of 

 two years caused the death of many trunks. TLe 



UT ^ g Sr 10n ° f P lanfcati °ns of Spruce, Scots Pine, 

 and Weymouth Pine at Gorlitz gave much better 

 results, but in this instance the woods treated 



chalk, which are capable of utilising the free tions, will be investigated by the Board's inspec- 



nitrogen of the air and rendering it available for 

 use by themselves and by other species planted 

 with them, are of great value. 



tors, with a view to any action which may appear 

 desirable. The Board are also prepared to receive 

 complaints as to rates and facilities for the car- 

 riage of produce by rail, and if, on investigation, 

 such complaints prove to be well founded, repre- 

 with the transition which has taken place in sentations will be made to the railway company 

 farming during the last 30 years in the Transvaal concerned, or such other steps taken as may be 



Agriculture in the Transvaal. — Dealing 



a special correspondent in the Star states that 

 shortly after his arrival he visited the Potchef- 

 stroom and Rustenburg districts, where he found 



necessary. The books in the Board's library ma v 

 be consulted, by students and other persons in- 

 terested in agriculture, at the office of the Board, 

 that farming consisted in the growing of such 8, Whitehall Place, London, S.W., on any week- 

 crops as were mainly consumed by the resident day between the hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. 

 families, while the small surplus was taken to (Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.). 



