139 



Seeds are rarely produced on cedar trees growing in dense forests; but 

 trees, if planted in rich and moderately moist soil in open places, will 

 annually produce seed after they have attained the age of 6 to 8 years. If 

 the seeds be fresh and sound they readily germinate, but they are very liable 

 tp deterioration, as has been already stated. 



As an instance, however, of cedar seeds retaining their vitality for a 

 considerable period, Mr. Forester Brown, of Port Macquarie, relates, on the 

 authority of Mr. Donkiii, that some land at Kimbriki, Manning Kiver, wei-^ 

 cleared. No cedar was then on it, no cedar trees near. There had been no 

 floods for years previously, yet twelve months afterwards numbers of young 

 cedars sprang up. 



It is one of the very few Australian deciduous trees, although in the 

 warmest districts it is semi-deciduous, or even evergreen. It is a beautiful 

 tree, and is well worthy of cultivation for that reason, apart from its value 

 for timber. 



The following particulars in regard to the cultivation and conservation • 

 of Red Cedar are of public interest. It is hoped that landowners in suitable 

 districts will see that it would be enlightened policy on their part to propa- 

 gate such Valuable timbers as Red Ceda/r. A few thousand well-planted and 

 Avell-tended cedars would be a valuable legacy. 



Spasmodic attempts have been made to reafforest the Red Cedar in this 

 State. The Forest Department planted some on the Dorrigo, but the 

 plantations wore neglected. Greater success has attended the small planta- 

 tions at Hogan's Brush, near Gosford. 



The following I wrote nearly twenty years ago, but it may still be sug- 

 gestive : — \ 



Mr. Breckenridge, at Failford, near Cape Hawke, has the nucleus of a 

 Kood oedar plantation. He has not gone to much expense in the matter; but 

 has simply inexpensively fenced a part of the brush to keep cattle • out. 

 Here and there, in the rich soil, he has dug a small hole, and put in a 

 seedling cedar. The young trees grow np with the rest of the vegetation, 

 and most of them are doing well. About all that is now done is to see that 

 the young cedars get fair play — that is (say) that they are not choked out 

 of existenpe by so^ne rampant growth. This very rarely happens, and 

 practicall.y all the attention given is to keep one's eye on them during an 

 occasional walk in the brush. There are numbers of young seedlings at the 

 head of Wollamba Creek, and it is Mr. Breckenridge's intention to add to 

 bis plantation from that source. This little cedar plantation is a valuable 

 object-lesson to the hundreds, and perhaps thousands, of selectors and others 

 who have bits of brush land in the coast and coast mountain districts. An 

 inexpensive fence, seedlings which can usually be obtained in the district, 

 and which may be inexpensively planted about August, little labour and very 

 little supervision, and we have a cedar plantation. The plants grow up 

 under natural conditions; the brush land near creeks is often not utilised 

 at all under existing circumstances, and the land is being utilised with the 

 promise, in many cases, of yielding a fair interest for the outlay in (say) 

 thirty or forty years. Planting for posterity, perhaps; but forest planting 

 (as distinct from forest conservation) is usually planting for posterity. 

 ,What, militates against plantations, as ordinarily carried out, is the heav>' 

 initial expenditure — expensive fences, heavy, and worse than useless clear- 

 ing, and costly non-residential supervision. I hope my readers will think 

 over the matter, and put in a small experimental patch next season. 



