‘ 
OUTLINE OF GENERAL ‘* WORKING-PLAN.’’ 73 
FORESTS OF THE NORTH: THEIR MANAGEMENT. 
oo 
OUTLINE OF A GENERAL “ WORKING-PLAN,” 
Tue Kauri Tree or THE Future (2 rr. Diameter By 60 Fr. Bog). 
THouGH a certain number of Kauri trees will be allowed to grow to 
a larger size for special uses and scenic purposes, the Kauri tree of 
the future must evidently be one which will mature in about 90 or 
100 years, to avoid piling up interest charges. It will be useful, there- 
fore, to inquire what will be the size of the Kauri tree at that age. For 
his younger trees Cheeseman’s figures show an average of eight rings per 
inch of radius = four rings per inch of diameter. Thus a tree of 24 in, 
diameter would average about 96 years of age. 
The amount of sapwood on such a tree I discussed with Messrs. 
Pollock and McGregor, the two expert timber-men of the Lands Depart- 
ment, Auckland. They agreed that a 2-ft.-diameter tree would not 
average more than 3in. or 4in. of sapwood. (See also p. 21.) 
The Hon. E. Mitchelson, who knows Kauri intimately, both in the 
forest and as a cultivated tree, and with whom I had the advantage of 
discussing the Kauri tree of the future, is of opinion that Kauri will 
be of a workable age in 80 years, timber corresponding to that size 
being now cut at the mills; but he would prefer Kauri timber 2 ft. 6 in. 
in diameter and 130 years old. Mr. Cheeseman’s opinion issimilar. The 
late Mr. Matthews found regrowth Kauri trees in the Waitakerei Hills, 
1 ft. in diameter, that could not be older than 25 or 30 years, and might 
be less (p. 125, ‘‘ Natural Regeneration ’’). It will be remembered that 
Kauri takes less time to grow its second than it does its first foot in 
diameter. 
2 ft. Diameter at 100 Years.—It seems therefore right to conclude 
that the Kauri tree of the future, grown in the cultivated forest for econo- 
mical forestry, will be a tree about 100 years old and 2 ft. im diameter. 
This is a safe average estimate. It may be somewhat younger or larger. 
At 100 years Kauri is in its most active growth-period, so that, except 
for the severe money interest charge on its high value, there would be no 
important loss in letting these 100-year-old Kauri trees run on for a few 
years more till the proportion of heartwood was larger. It would be 
just a matter of calculation as to how far a better market price would pay 
the increased interest charge on an older tree. 
Kauri trees are now being cut at certain mills down to 1 ft. diameter, 
but these are one-half or more sapwood; trees not smaller than 2 ft. 
diameter are preferred. It must be always remembered that Kauri 
ee has valuable qualities not possessed by the sapwood of all trees 
p. 21). 
I take the Kauri tree of the future as having 60 ft. of bole because 
well-crown and close-grown trees will have this length of sawable stem, 
and where the trees are less well-shaped there will be a notable quantity 
of furniture-wood in the branch-wood to make up for the shorter bole. 
Ideal Tree of European Foresters.—In central Europe foresters aim 
at producing a stem about 1 ft. in diameter and 60 ft. long (reckoning 
stem down to 3 in. diameter), and it takes 90 or 100 years to grow such 
