142 PXOTIC TREES FOR NORTHERN FORESTS. 
strain and to make some tests of its early growth against Kauri. Black- 
wood from northern Tasmania seems suitable. 
Australian Red Cedar (Cedrela australis) might be a very valuable 
tree in the lower parts of the Kauri forests, It grows in Australia as 
far south as latitude 36—the latitude of Dargaville in New Zealand. It 
matures in eighty to a hundred years, thus rather earlier than Kauri. In 
its usefulness it rivals Kauri, and grows up to diameters of 13 ft. or 
perhaps more. . 
Red Cedar is the Kauri among Australian timbers—the best timber 
of Australia. Its value and huge size are often quoted in Austrahan 
literature. Large trees worth £800 apiece (in the log at ship’s side) 
are mentioned. But actually the biggest Australian Red Cedars are 
sinall timber-itrees compared to New Zealand Kauri trees. Maiden 
quotes maximum dimensions of Red Cedar as 10 ft diameter and 200 ft. 
high, with exceptional trees somewhat exceeding these dimensions (p. 46). 
One of these exceptionally large trees was “‘ calculated to yield 30,000 
sup. ft. of saleable timber ’’ (Forestry Handbook No. 2, 1917). This is 
about one-tenth the size of the record Kauri trees. 
Red Cedar of Australia resembles Kauri in that it is more the huge 
size of certain trees than their abundance that is remarkable. Thus the 
Bellinger River forest, one of the best Cedar areas, is stated to have had 
only 30 million sup. ft. of Cedar sixty years ago, but one tree is re- 
corded to have yielded Cedar worth £700. As has been seen, a giant 
Kauri, at present prices, might easily yield double this figure. 
Red Cedar is already growing well in the Hokianga district. I have 
heard of a missionary-planted tree with nearly double the diameter- 
growth of Kauri. Mr. Black, of the ‘‘ Promenade,’’ Palmerston North, 
describes its natural regeneration at Cairns (North Queensland) as 
profuse. Australian Red Cedar should be well tried in the most 
nertherly of the Kauri forests, taking care that its particular pest, a 
twig-borer, is kept out. It may grow profitably as far south as Kauri 
grows naturally. It compares thus with Kauri :— 
Valwe.—It has much the same value as Kauri on the Australian 
market. 
Very Rapid Growth.—It grows faster than Kauri; in Queensland 
four or five times as much in height-growth, and three or four times 
as fast in diameter-growth—the average is nearly 4 in. per year till over 
200 years old—from stump-ring readings. It would not grow as fast as 
that at Wainoua. 
One Tree per Acre.—Like Kauri. ‘‘ Cedar occurs in scattered belts. 
It nowhere forms pure forests, for, being unable to preserve a dense 
forest canopy, it is always associated with other species over a dense 
underwood. Land with an average of one mature Cedar per acre would 
be good Cedar country ’’ (Conservator Jolly, Queensland). 
Bole.—Though buttressed at the base, it forms a good cylindrical 
shaft of timber, its maximum height of bole rather less than Kauri, and 
its maximum diameter about half that of Kauri. 
_ Propagation.—Red Cedar is easily reproduced from either seed, cut- 
tings, or coppice shoots. Mr. Jolly recommends interplanting in the 
bush at not less than 18 ft. by 18 ft., or about 140 to the acre. This is 
significant (see page 129, ‘‘ Interplanting ’’). 
A Bad Pest.—The Cedar twig-borer (the grub of the moth ystphyla 
robusta) 1s a very serious pest in Australia. It has at least two broods 
a year, and bores into the leading and side shoots. killing them back 
