CHAPTER XIX. 



-^S.^G^tA>=S-^^^ 



PlanUng on Ground lately Cleared of Trees. 



Tkees must be looked upon by tbe forester in many respects the same as 

 the farmer views a cereal crop. No intelligent agriculturist would think 

 for a moment of cropping a piece of ground with the same kind of plant 

 for several years without some period of rest to the land, in order to 

 return somewhat of the various constituents taken from it by his crop. 

 We, of course, know it is done, but then we are also painfully aware 

 what the result is. Land cropped with trees or wheat — it matters not 

 which it may be— requires some systematic course of treatment after 

 one crop is taken from it before another is made to take its place. 



Where trees have stood thickly for a long series of years upon a 

 piece of ground, and then felled, it is found that from the large deposit 

 of vegetable substances upon the soil, together with the fact that it has not 

 had the salubrious influences of the sunlight upon it for many years, the site 

 has become somewhat uncongenial to the health and growth of a younger 

 crop of trees. In this country, the crop of indigenous trees is, generally 

 speaking, very sparse upon the ground, and consequently, plenty of light 

 penetrates through the foliage to the soil ; there is less fear therefore 

 of bad results flowing from replanting ground here which has been recently 

 denuded of its crop of trees. It may have been noticed, however, that 

 where eucalypti have grown for any great length of time, the soil 

 becomes hard and of a sour and uninviting appearance round the trees ; 

 it is therefore generally unsuitable for early replanting. The roots 

 of old trees and stumps are a means of encouraging insects on the 

 ground, which attack the young trees and prey so much upon their 

 vitality that they become of a very sickly appearance, and eventually die. 



After the ground has been cleared of its old crop, the branches and 

 other debris left should be spread over the part, so as not to have too 

 much of it upon any one spot, and at a suitable season the whole 

 should be thoroughly burned. Where by chance any fire of more than 

 ordinary size has occurred, the ash deposited upon the site should be 

 spread over the adjoining ground, so that no heavy deposit of it is left 

 upon any one spot. This is necessary, as, although a small quantity of 

 ash is of great service to young plants, a heavy dose of it will kill them. 



