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forests? New South Wales has only half the area of Queensland, 

 but she has nearly double the reserves of the latter, while Vic- 

 toria, with rather more than quarter of the area of Queensland, 

 also exceeds that State in regard to the number of acres, specially 

 reserved. uf our own modest less than 4,000,000 acres of forest 

 area, only 163,478 acres are reserved. Of all the States, Vic- 

 toria has the largest proportion of her forest area reserved, viz., 

 over one-third (£), while South Australia is lowest, with about 

 one twenty-fourth (1-24). 



We hear a good deal nowadays about afforestation. Now, 

 this is excellent as a remedial measure, but prevention is al- 

 ways regarded as preferable to cure. The Queensland director 

 forcibly presents this aspect in his report. He says, "The cut- 

 ting down of the natural forests and the attempt to replace tnem 

 by artificial plantations appears to have some hold on the popu- 

 lar mind. Anyone who visits the scrubs around Atherton may 

 see the most splendid timber lying on the ground waiting to be 

 burnt off; at least, that was the condition of affairs when I was 

 last there, upon which occasion I reported in calm earnest that I 

 had seen lying — waiting for a fire — timber, which, at any seaport 

 in Australia, would be cheap at £1,000,000. Yet, close by may 

 be seen 5,000 small planted cedars, growing along 40 miles of 

 cleared bush track." He then goes on to show from answers to 

 questions he submitted to the Lands Department, Sydney, that, 

 after an experience of cedar-planting in a desultory way for over 

 20 years, there is really nothing to show of a practical character 

 for a very considerable outlay. "Planting," he says, "appeals to 

 the popular imagination, and I, too, am a friend of planting, 

 but it must be systematic, on a fairly large scale, and well- 

 protected, or it will turn out a failure. I hardly think 

 that persons who talk so airily about planting slowly-maturing 

 trees to supply the needs of persons who will live 100 years from 

 now, realize that in our own time we are sure to reap the har- 

 vest of present neglect." 



And here is a bit of prophecy that should arouse attention. 

 "In fifty years," says Mr. MacMahon, "probably there will be no 

 pine in Queensland, save in pleasure grounds, cedar will be a 

 memory, and hardwood of the present quality and dimensions 

 will be unobtainable. The great Forest Department, which will 

 then exist, will be engaged in striving at great expense to 

 afforest land which should never have been disafforested, and in 

 buying back land which never was fit for any other purpose than 

 forestry." 



This writer's opinion is that it is much preferable to re-estab- 

 lish natural forests (i.e., these forest areas which have been 

 partially denuded) than to plant fresh forests elsewhere. I judge 

 from the reports of our Conservator of Forests that in South 

 Australia we have been more successful in our planting — as, for 

 example, the pines and sugar gums, etc., at Wirrabara — than 

 they in New South Wales and Queensland. 



It has been asserted that Forest Conservation in the Com- 

 monwealth is in a most unsatisfactory condition, and that 

 the great difficulty appears to be in the increasing demand that 

 many of the richer forest lands be utilized for purposes of 

 closer settlement. The real value of forestry as a source of 

 national wealth appears to be very imperfectly understood in 

 the Commonwealth. With a proper system of conservation the 



