r RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. 73 



pines the better. Tiie work has begun. Such planting 

 was long since done in the 4l Landes " of South-eastern 

 France, and an important subsidiary turpentine industry 

 will be established, to say nothing of the value to local 

 agriculture and stock raising of belts of shelter trees 

 systematically planted. 



Our forest officers are so busy with the absolutely 

 esseutial work of collecting revenue and of policing and 

 inspecting the forests, — many of them have long, wearisome 

 rounds, that they have little time to make specific investi- 

 gations for the advancement of forestry science. Some 

 little matters worthy of notice I drew attention to in my 

 last address, and I will submit two more. 



In another place I have suggested that each species of 

 tree has a locality-focus or foci of best development, irres- 

 pective of political boundaries. For example, the Black- 

 wood grows (or is assumed by some to grow) best in 

 Tasmania, aud hence the highest encomiums in regard to 

 this timber are alleged to be only true when applied to the 

 Tasmanian wood. Is this so ? If there are foci of excellence, 

 let us define them. Herein lies a clue, I think to the con- 

 flicting reports in regard to the same timber. A district 

 or a State makes disrespectful remarks as to the quality 

 of a certain timber, which another district, knowing that 

 locally the same timber is good, resents, and thus arises a 

 wordy argument and perhaps bad blood and interference 

 with trade, simply because folks are arguing with different 

 standards. 



It has been freely stated that a certain timber is more 

 durable (and this is generally understood to refer to dura- 

 bility in the grouud) in the locality in which it was grown, 

 than at a distance from it. Is this so ? What are the 

 data ? If this be so, certain timbers will receive a more 

 thorough test and will not be condemned simply because 

 of their bad reputation in other districts. 



