48 
reserve is, however, a valuable one as far as pine is concerned, the reserve, comprising 29,500 acres, growing 
an average of eight matured trees per acre, over an area of 20,000 acres. This reserve could also be 
improved, as far as the young pine is concerned. If it were attended to, it should be able to produce a 
constant supply of pine yearly. At a rough estimate, there is in my district 163,000 acres growing, on an 
average, five matured pine-trees per acre, and the young pine saplings, in a healthy state, might be 
averaged at the same, with an average of more than double.—(Forester Harris, Gunnedah.) 
Mr. Harris’ district contained both White Pine and also Black Pine, C. 
calcar at a. 
Queensland. 
This species is found over enormous areas in Western Queensland, extending 
to near the coast in Central Queensland. In that State we often find species which 
in New South Wales are looked upon as Eremccan extending to the coast. 
Pine Scrub and Pine-thinning. 
C. robusta mainly forms the Pine Scrub of the west; to a less extent C. 
calcarata is a pest; sometimes, in a given area, the two species are commingled. 
The matter of dealing with these lands is discussed in a valuable pamphlet* I do 
not, therefore, propose to do more than briefly touch upon the subject. 
“ Pine Scrub ” is a serious pest to pastoralists in the interior, the land not 
only being rendered useless for grazing purposes by reason of the millions of young 
trees, as thick as a maize-crop, but this scrub is a safe hiding-place for innumerable 
vermin—rabbits, dingoes, &c. Efforts have been made, under the supervision of 
the Forest Department, to thin out the saplings, and thus allow trees to attain 
maturity. 
The following extract from a report by Cadet Swain, of the Forest Depart¬ 
ment, which was obtained at my instigation, gives so excellent an account of White 
Pine, the principal component of Pine Scrub, that I reproduce it here. Mr. Swain 
was in the Grenfell, &c., district:— 
A symmetrical tree attaining a height of 100 feet, of glaucous foliage, and often crowded branches. 
It occurs generally as Pine Scrub, with a sprinkling of matured trees; on reddisli sandy loam in almost pure 
forest, with a slight admixture of White and Yellow Box and Kurrajong. 
It is a light-demander, and though the scrub is often very thick, the foliage is so thin that the sun 
obtains apparently unrestricted admission. 
Reproduction is effected at long irregular intervals as the result of a good season, when the young 
pine scrub quickly covers the ground with a glaucous seedling growth. The “ thicket ” stage succeeds—a 
dense crop of whipstick pine with dead snaky branches interlacing and forming the dreaded pine scrub. 
This is followed by the pole stage. 
A further report says :— 
In some places the scrub is so dense that it is impassable, and I have counted twenty-six pine 
plants, each from 3 to 8 feet in height, upon 1 square yard. Plants growing as close as this can never 
reach maturity or usefulness. I have lately supervised the thinning out of a small area (120 acres) in the 
Weddin Forest Reserve and have left all those of 4 inches and upwards intact, and thinned out those 
* Notes on Pine-thinning, based on Foresters’ and Surveyors’ Reports. Compiled and annotated by R. D. Hay 
(published by the Forest Department, Sydney, 1899.) 
