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"noble River Torrens" was doubtless nobler still in bygone days; 

 our kangaroo and wombat are but pigmies compared with their 

 ancestor, the Diprotodon; but our gum-trees year by year raise 

 their heads higher and higher and spread their limbs still further 

 afield. The most casual observer can hardly fail to be impressed — 

 their age is self-evident. He must, if he but reflect a moment, 

 realize that before he was born, before his grandparents or their 

 grandparents saw the light of day these noble trees were unfold- 

 ing their mighty limbs and giving shade and shelter to the black- 

 skinned savage ; and surely as he looks he must admire, and with 

 that admiration must surely be mingled some element of rever- 

 ence — that reverence which age should always inspire. Yes, 

 though our country is old it requires the seeing eye to learn this 

 from its rocks, and so, it seems to me, it is left for the giant 

 gums to proclaim in unmistakable clearness that they represent 

 in concrete form the growth of hundreds of years. Alas ! that in 

 one short day that which has been the work of centuries may be 

 levelled to the ground. 



To sum up the whole question, I take this to be, briefly, the 

 position in regard to our forests : — 



1. Compared with many other countries Nature has been 

 niggard in the provision of forests for Australia generally, and 

 South Australia in particular. 



2. Notwithstanding our modest inheritance, we have acted 

 the part of the spendthrift by cutting, ring-barking, and burn- 

 ing some of our best forest country. 



3. That the supply of timber for industrial purposes is every- 

 where diminishing, and must, unless counteracted, cause serious 

 consequences in the not-distant future. 



4. That our eucalypts, on account of the quality of their 

 timber, offer special inducements for their destruction. 



5. That the value of their oils and extracts is but yet only 

 imperfectly understood. 



6. That other nations — the American in particular— recog- 

 nize, if we do not, their many good qualities, and are cultivating 

 them with great success. 



7. That in view of the foregoing we should : — 



(a) Strictly preserve existing forest areas. 



(b) Increase them wherever practicable. 



(c) Reafforest by natural means partially denuded areas. 



(d) The State should spend large sums in artificial afforesta- 



tion by planting on a large scale, not only in (as at 

 present) somewhat poor soil, but on rich land, so as to 

 secure the best results. 



(e) Encourage Local Governing bodies and private individu- 



als to plant forest trees. In one State such encourage- 

 ment is given by providing that no extra rate is to 

 be levied on account of the increased value of land 

 placed under forest cultivation. 



(f) And, lastly, that we should have in view the commercial 



aspect as well, so that when we shall have enough and 

 to spare (and, until then, by judicious thinning) we 

 shall estimate our native timbers at their proper worth, 

 and see them used for those multifarious purposes 

 which a civilized community requires ; and having 

 satisfied our own needs, send the surplus to other parts, 

 to our profit, to their enjoyment, and to the mutual 

 satisfaction of all. 



