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they are at present in the State forests, in defiance of the regulations, there will bo none left in ten years. 
From all the districts in which there is deep sinking, you have the same complaints about the props. Not 
only is the distance from w-hich they have to be carted increasing every year, but the prospect is that, at the 
present rate of use and destruction, there will soon be absolutely none left. From Creswick the statement is 
that, if the present wasteful system is followed, the supply of any sort wall last but a few' years ; from Clunes, 
that all timber, except firewood, has to be carted a distance of at least fifteen n)iles ; and from Newstcad 
and other places around, that all the timber goes to Chines, and that it w'ill be all used in from five to ten 
years. Even at Bungaree we are told that all the good trees are cut, and that only firewood is left. Young 
trees are, however, growing up, and will make props if preserved long enough. From Smythesdalo the 
report is that the useful timber is nearly exhausted now', and, that in tw’o years there will be none left outside 
of the fences round private property and selected allotments. , It has been stated that the pow'er given by 
the Mining Statute to any holder of a miners’ right to obtain on Crown lands wh.atcver timber or bark ho 
requires for personal use, without being subjected to the conditions and restrictions imposed on holders of 
wood licenses, has been greatly abused, and lias greatly tended to bring about the present scarcity of timber 
on some of the goldfields. Such are fair samples of the reports from the dilFcrent districts; but some could 
be adduced of a still more unfavorable character. One fact alluded to by some of your correspondents has 
an important bearing on tho future supply of timber, and this is the dying off of some kinds of eucalyptus 
over large tracts of country. The inferior sorts are those which have perished most generally ; but a resident 
at Mount Battery says — “ Tw'enty years ago this estate, 20,000 acres, w'as covered with valuable red-gum 
limber of excellent growth. This has been, I may say, entirely destroyed during the last ten years by a 
parasitical disease. The leaf is covered with a smalt insect under a flat shell which destroys the foliage, 
and in two or three years the tree perishes. There are no young ones S23ringing up in their place, and, 
without planting, the land will be denuded in a few' years.” The objectionable insect is plainly a variety 
of the coccus or scale, and is more probably a consequence rather than the cause of disease in this case, for 
it is not present where other var-ictics of gum die over miles and miles of country'. The actual cause of 
tho trees dying over these wide spaces ai)pears to be still a mystery, in many instances. 
The Preseevatiox of Youno Trees. 
Query 8. JVhat means would you recommend for preventing the destruction of young trees on 
abandoned mining land, or elsewhere ? 
'I'he suggestions for the protection of young trees are few in number, but very much to the point. 
MThero the w'ant of timber is becoming most felt, it is recommended that tho cutting of seedlings and 
saplings, or off-shoots, shall be absolutely prohibited except by the forest rangers and their assistants, and 
that they shall only cut what ought to be removed in their periodical thinnings. As a rule, seedlings grow 
much too thickly, and are the better for being judiciously thinned once or twice a year; but when carters 
are allowed to help themselves they take the best, regardless of the future. So with off-shoots — if one or 
two only are left to each stump, they become in a few years useful for jn-ops or firewood, but if too many 
are left none attain any size. Where timber is loss scarce, it is ywoposed that no seedlings or saplings be 
cut until they have reached a certain size, and that tho cutting take place as much as possible under 
the inspection or direction of the rangers. The young growth should bo protected everywhere from 
stock by secure fencing, and goats at large should be destroyed. License-holders are not allowed to keep 
these animals according to tho terms of their licenses, but there are many men residing in, or close to the 
boundaries of the forests, who are not licensed, and w'ho can therefore keep goats with impunity, to run 
over the forest land and increase as they please. There are besides, in many places, flocks of half-wild 
goats without owners, and these destroy numbers of 3 'oung trees. Everywhere close fencing is insisted on 
for forest reserves, and protection, more or less stringent, for the young timber. This last is given as one of 
the reasons why general regulations will only bo found applicable to certain localities, and why these should 
be supplemented w'ith si)ecial regulations suitable to the requirements of each forest. Bush fires are 
pointed out as one source of great danger to young trees, and the present regulations are intended to guard 
partially against these, by requiring sawyers and splitters to cut up and stack the tops of tho trees felled 
by them ; but, in the first jilace, there are not bailiffs or rangers enough to see that those rules are enforced ; 
and even when the heads are cut up, the small branches, leave.s, and bark will be left on the ground to dry, 
forming the sort of fuel especially calculated to spread the flames. These, as the Director of the Botanic 
Gardens has iminted out, might be advantageously consumed for the yield of oil, tar, or jwtash. On nearly 
all the old forest laud seedlings grow abundantly ; but it is suggested, where this happens not to bo the 
case, that seeds, for sowing broadcast in the most appropriate places, should be obtained from other districts. 
Begulations. 
Query 9. What regulations or bye-laws would you recommend to be adopted in your district 
for the disposal of timber on Croivri lands to supply existing wants ? 
Tho urgent necessity for efldciently protecting young trees was before mentioned as one reason why 
each district should have its own bye-laws, but many more are adduced in answer to this question. In some 
districts the opinion is that no person whatever should be allowed to cut trees or saplings without a license, 
the charge for this to vary in amount to farmers, wood-carters, sawyers, or splitters. Others, again, say that 
every tree should he sold by auction before it is cut ; while, according to some, timber as it leaves the forest 
should be paid for by the load — so much for straight timber and so much for crooked timber or firewood. 
The revenue thus obtained would be in exact proportion to tho amount of timber taken, which it certainly 
is not under the licensing system. As an instance of the income to be derived from the sale of firewood 
alone, Castlemainc is mentioned. We are told that, if the carters had to jiay sixjience a load for the firewood 
consumed in tho borough, the amount collected from this source alone would be £750 a year, and the 
inhabitants would derive benefit for the slightly increased cost by the greater abundance at a future day, 
if the income so derived were to be expended in economizing the present supp)lj', so as to make it last longer. 
But such an income would not only allow of that, but also of very much increasing the supply for the future. 
