16 TREE CULTURE IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 



By these figures, then, we see that as regards the rental occupancy of 

 the land with trees, the result is greatly in favor of this country as com- 

 pared with Great Britain. 



The expense of formation and management of the plantation is, how- 

 ever, about double in this country to what it is in Britain. 



I recently sold the thinnings on ten acres of indigenous forest in one 

 of the forest reserves of the colony, and these realised about £2 per acre 

 over all. The freehold value of the land if sold is not over 20s. per 

 acre ! In this case then the thinnings alone of the crop realised double 

 the value of the ground. 



Although the subject is so new in the colony that no statistics can be 

 given of actual sales having taken place which could be cited in support 

 of the statement, I am of opinion, which is based upon the present prices 

 of colonial timber, and on the assumption that the trees planted have 

 been of a suitable character to the soil and situation, and that the best 

 of management has been appUed to the cultivation and rearing of the 

 trees, that the following may be accepted as a fair estimate of the yield 

 which would result from one acre of plantation in this colony : — 



£2 annually, spread over the first ten years. 



£6 to £8 per acre annually for the next 5 years. 



£10 to £12 per acre annually for the 5 years afterwards. 



And probably when the crop is from 25 to 30 years old, it would, 

 Eis a whole, represent, if cleared and sold in a good market, a value of 

 something like £300 to £400 per acre. 



