EXOTIC TREES FOR NORTHERN FORESTS. 143 
repeatedly. Cedar plantations on a large scale are considered inadvis- 
able for this reason. Heart-rot is common even in well-developed trees. 
(Forest Bulletin No. 5 of Queensland, October, 1917.) 
Seed is good, but does not keep well. After long delays in getting 
good seed I succeeded at last in planting Australian Red Cedar in the 
South African forest resembling the New Zealand ‘‘ mixed bush.’’ It 
is growing very well, and promises to be specially valuable introduced to 
a country free of its pest. 
OrHer CErbDARS. 
A closely allied species is Cedrela odorata: on equatorial highlands 
(Nairobi) in an arboretum group it averaged 25 ft. high in three years. 
This is one of the best-known Cedars of commerce. Cedrela serrata of 
the Himalayas might flourish over a larger part of New Zealand, and 
: . velloxiana, a first-rate timber-tree of Brazil, in the northern Kauri 
orests. 
Exotics ror Low, Warm CLIMATES. 
The belt of ‘‘ Brush ’’ forest in New South Wales, which in climate 
and vegetation approximates to northern New Zealand, extends south as 
far as latitude 334°, Waipoua is in latitude 354°, but the ‘* Brush ”’ 
forest spreads up to an altitude which more than compensates for the 
slight difference of latitude. The ‘‘ Brush ”’ forest of New South Wales 
is dense evergreen forest of the same general character as Kauri forest, 
the rainfall being similar. The valuable timbers of the New South Wales 
‘* Brush ”’ forest for trial in the Kauri forests are: Red Cedar as above. 
Silky Oaks (Grevillea robusta and Orites excelsa), White-beech or Teak 
(Gmelina leichardtii), and a valuable Rosewood (Dysoxylon lessertianum). 
Of these only the Red Cedar and Silky Oak have a value comparable 
to Kauri; but there are parts of the Waipoua Forest where Kauri 
does not seem to thrive, and where these ‘‘ Brush’’ timbers of New 
South Wales might do so. They should be tried there. None of them 
are trees likely to spread so as to get out of control or to compete witli 
Kauri except Red Cedar, and that is as valuable as Kauri. 
Silky Oak.—Silky Oak (@revillea robusta) is a quite valuable tree, 
both sylviculturally and for its timber. It has the covert and soil- 
improving qualities of Beech in Europe. It is an extraordinarily hardy 
tree, growing fairly far outside its natural habitat—Hobart and Mel- 
bourne, for instance. As a beautiful tree it may fairly be said that only the 
Metrosideros trees of New Zealand (Ratas and Christmas tree) compare 
with the Australian Grevillea robusta. It has been nearly all destroyed 
in New South Wales, but now, with the turn of the tide in forestry, will 
doubtless be brought back again. It grows with rapidity and great 
vigour in Auckland. Its searceness there is ascribed to a transplanting 
difficulty. This vanishes in a pot-and-pan nursery, but I am inclined 
to think there is something more against it in Auckland—perhaps wind. 
On the equatorial highlands of South Africa (Nairobi, 6,000 ft) it grew 
90 ft. in four years. In Kauri forest it would grow faster at first 
than Kauri, but might prove of the utmost service silyiculturally for 
under-planting Kauri. For ornamental panelling in railway-carriage 
work the Railway Department might prefer it to Kauri, Though 1 
does not take varnish so well as Kauri, it seasons better, and weighs less. 
(The better type of railway-carriage coming may be free of varnish.) 
Cut on the quarter, it is more ornamental. Orites excelsa, the other 
Silky Oak of Australia, should be planted with Grevillea robusta. It 
is even lighter in weight and equally ornamental. 
