Rate of Growth of Indigenous Forest Trees. THE following circular was addressed by the Under Secretary to Foresters a few months ago :— "I have to request that you will be good enough to furnish any data you may have as to the rate of growth (height and diameter) of the principal forest trees in your district; also any information you may have in regard to the readiness with which the various trees re-afforest, that is to say, are propagated by natural causes, and are unhindered in their progress to maturity." Digests of their replies are given herewith, which, it will be observed, embody some valuable information. Assistant-Forester McFarland, Moruya, 2nd March, 1896.-This Forester is at present stationed at Moruya, but the information given in his general remarks probably applies to the Brisbane Water and Moonbi Districts, where he was previously stationed. I have known ground that had been under cultivation, and then neglected for a period of eighteen years, to produce a dense brush, in which were growing box and woolly-butt over 40 feet high, and with a diameter of from 15 to 18 inches at a height of 3 feet from the ground. Of these two varieties of trees the woolly-butt was, if anything, the larger, being a softer timber, and consequently of faster growth. On the same land, and on the richest and most moist parts of it, there was a good crop of coachwood, with an average diameter at a height of 3 feet from the ground of 18 inches, the trees measuring about 30 feet in height. Also sassafras, about the same size as the coachwood, with other brush trees, including blackwood, averaging about 10 inches in diameter, and from 20 to 25 feet in height. This land was on the south coast, about 10 miles inland, due west from the Shoalhaven Heads, and at an altitude of 1,600 feet above the level of the sea. I bave known a pile 40 feet long to be got out of a blue-gum tree that had grown in the Brisbane Water District in twenty years, and I do not think that the growth of this tree is anything unusual in a moist warm climate where the soil is good. Ringbarking stringy bark has the effect of causing the seeds of the trees treated in this way to germinate in great numbers, as the sun gets to the ground better than it did before, and also assists the growth of the saplings, which grow rapidly. On account of the close order in which they grow they come up very straight, and with very light annual thinnings would produce good timber at a small cost. In places where spotted gum has been cut down the trees felled are replaced a hundred-fold by seedlings which grow very straight and thickly, and only require a little attention from time to time for a few years to form a fine forest of straight trees. I consider ironbark (of all species) to be one of the most slow-growing trees we have, unless the coast box is slower, whilst bluegum, messmate, and stringybark are some of the fastest growing of our hardwoods. Red cedar grows fast for about ten or twelve years in good soil, but after that it makes very slow progress. I do not think any cedar is of much good under forty years. Forester Allan, Milton, 25th October, 1895.-On the South Coast; district includes counties St. Vincent, Murray, Dampier, Beresford, Auckland, and Wellesley. I have observed the growth of various young trees for several years past, and, in many instances, they show a rapid growth when favourably situated on good soil. In some cases the growth is very slow. The following are a few instances from various sources:— Spotted gum-Age twenty years, height 60 feet, diameter 24 inches. The forest trees, Eucalyptus maculata, pilularis, saligna, paniculata, longifolia, corymbosa, sieberiana, eugenioides, goniocalyx, &c., are propagated naturally, particularly after a wet season, which favours their growth in a very marked manner. A few of the coast forest reserves are immense natural nurseries of the above species, but to ensure a good crop of marketable timber the trees require to be thinned out, crooked unprofitable ones removed, heads of felled trees and dead limbs stacked and burned. The greatest hindrance to our forest trees in their progress to maturity are bush-fires, the worst enemy that we have to contend with. The heads of felled trees lying around the young growth supply the fuel to burn them up, and this is one of the dangers to re-afforestation. On forest reserves it may yet become necessary that the felling operations be carried out by timber-cutters acting under the direct supervision of the Forester, as damage to the young growth is unavoidable to a greater or less extent. Yet it is most likely to be reduced to a minimum when the control and the responsibility for the conduct of the operations rests entirely with the Forester. It would assist very much in reducing the fearful waste caused by indiscriminate cutting that has been going on for years, and be a means of assisting young trees in their progress to maturity. At present, timbergetters and others, on account, no doubt, of competition, care nothing about the destruction of our young trees. Forester Martin, Gosford, 5th November, 1895.-Coast north of metropolis; district includes counties Northumberland and Hunter. About nine years ago some Crown land was cleared in Hogan's Brush Reserve for a plantation. Shortly after the clearing was done a blue gum came up and was suffered to remain. The blue gum grew vigorously, and last month I measured the young tree, and found it to be 50 feet in height, with a circumference of 3ft. 6in. 4 feet from the ground. Blackbutt and spotted gum also grow rapidly, reproduce themselves freely, and in about twenty years will girth from 5 to 6 feet. I think, to make a thick growth of blue gum, blackbutt, or spotted gum on forest reserves, the ringbarking of all hollow or worthless trees, when in full fruit, would give the desired result. For experiment, it may be thought worthy of trial to graft slow-growing ironbarks on any of above trees. Forester Rudder, Booral, 28th October, 1895.-North Coast, Newcastle to Manning River; district includes county of Gloucester. On Mr. George Mackay's estate "Milbi," near Dungog, in 1854, were a number of red ironbark and grey box saplings, then supposed to be about ten years old; of these, a few days ago, I measured sixteen ironbark trees on low-lying ground, with the following result: Twelve ironbark trees on undulating ridges of poor soil : ... 20 0 90 0 65 0 ... ... 32 0 0 0 Greatest length of—about Greatest height of any tree... Least 75 0 ... 65 0 On some ground ploughed up for potatoes about one year and eight months ago, at New Jerusalem, Upper Williams River, near forest reserve No. 16,050, were a number of seedling blue-gum trees, and of ten I measured a few days ago, the average growth was 6 ft. 3 in. in height. The conditions for growth were favourable. With reference to the ironbark trees the locality was not favourable, as the neighbourhood indicated by producing rather small-sized timber generally. The soil is clayey and poor. I have no positive data, only appearance to go by, but by this I am satisfied that many young grey ironbark trees on forest reserve No. 12,529 in the parish of Cooloonglook, county of Gloucester, have boles much longer than those trees measured at "Milbi "; notwithstanding their age is not half of the latter. I may mention, incidentally, that I measured one Bunya Bunya pine tree at "Milbi," whose age is now 36 years, and found it to girth at 4 feet, 9 ft. 4 in., height about 60 feet, also one English oak of the same age, whose girth is 9 ft. 10 in., its height about 45 feet, and in spread of branches it is 74 feet. Both these trees are growing on rich alluvial land. With regard to trees which show the greatest readiness to reafforest, or propagate themselves by natural causes, and are unhindered in their progress to maturity, &c., I may mention in their order (in my opinion, of prominence), blackbutt, spotted-gum, grey ironbark, grey gum, tallow-wood, and bloodwood. All trees are liable, when young, to injury and destruction by bush fires, otherwise, these are all reliable and thrive well under favourable conditions. Forester Brown, Port Macquarie, 21st November, 1895.-North Coast, vicinity of Hastings River district includes counties of Macquarie and Hawes. A red-cedar tree thirty-five years ago which was about 5 inches in diameter and 14 feet high, is now 3 feet in diameter, 20 feet to the first limb, and 50 feet high-good soil. Within 2 feet of a field which was cultivated thirty years ago are a few blue-gums (local name), much like the flooded-gum in appearance from 40 to 60 feet to first limb, and 5 to 6 feet in girth. (Both the blue and flooded gums of this district are E. saligna). A red-cedar tree twenty-five years before it was felled was 2 feet in diameter and 30 feet high, and when cut was 4 ft. 6 in. in diameter, and 60 feet to the first limb (five logs cut out of it). At Cogo, Wilson's River, in the old vineyard (twenty-five years neglected) are now growing blackbutts and gums amongst the stakes and vines; average 18 inches in diameter, 25 feet to first branch and 50 feet high, also the feather-leaved wattle, 8 to 10 inches in diameter, and 20 to 25 feet high. On a piece of land owned by Mr. Isaac Andrews, near Wauchope, on river bank, is a patch of river oaks (about) 1 acres about fifteen years old; they are now 6 to 10 inches in diameter, and 30 to 40 feet high, average about 800 per acre. A river oak on the bank of a creek in three years grew from 2 ft. 3 in. in girth by 17 feet high to 5 ft. 6 in. in girth by 25 feet high. A spotted-gum in Shoalhaven District in an old saw-pit, not used for seventeen years, was then 2 feet in diameter by 25 feet to first limb, and 45 feet high; good soil, side of a hill. A blackbutt tree grew in twenty-one years large enough to make a mast 65 ft. x 14 in. square for the "Maggie Gollan" ketch. A blue-gum five years ago, 3 inches in diameter and 15 feet high, is now 12 inches in diameter by 15 feet to first limb, and 35 feet high; red secondclass soil, in the open. A tree was uprooted nine years ago 12 yards from side of road, no treegrowth being left between it and side of road; now there are blackbutt, blue-gum, tallow-wood, and bloodwood, from 3 inches in girth, and 15 feet high up to 8 inches in girth, and 30 feet high. A blackbutt sapling seventeen years ago 12 inches in diameter and 30 feet high, is now 2 ft. 9 in. in diameter and 40 feet to first limb, 70 feet high. B A red-cedar sapling twenty-two years ago was about 3 inches in diameter and 15 feet high, is now 2 ft. 3 in. in diameter and 15 feet to the first limb, and 60 feet high. On the main road off Baldwins, cleared to the boundary thirty years ago, there are now blackbutt trees 15 inches to 18 inches in diameter and 35 feet to first limb, and 60 feet high. The various timber trees reafforest in about the order noted below:— Black butt-abundantly and quickly. White mahogany-nearly as fast and abundantly. Tallow-wood and bloodwood-nearly as quickly, but not so abundantly. Brush box-generally scanty and of quicker growth. Flooded gum-in certain localities, fairly numerous, and of quick growth White cedar-scanty and slowly. White beech-very scanty and slowly. Forester M'Donald, Kempsey, 3rd December, 1895.-North Coast, Kempsey to Coff's Harbour, vicinity Macleay River; district includes counties Dudley, Raleigh, and part of Fitzroy. For rapidity of growth, height, and general dimensions, drought and bush fire-resisting capabilities, and power of propagation, the blackbutt stands first. The average height of blackbutt on the reserves in my district is about 200 feet, and the girth of the matured trees about 10 feet. I have measured a few old trees up to a height of 250 feet by a girth of 20 feet, and one about 30 feet at 5 feet from the ground. In January, 1885, I measured certain blackbutt saplings in the parish of Clybucca, county of Dudley. These saplings were then about 5 years old, and taped about 12 inches girth by a height of 10 feet from the measurements then taken. I find that the same saplings now average 36 inches girth and a height of 40 feet, and if not hindered in their progress, they should, in about twelve years hence, attain sufficient size and maturity for market. Forester Huxham, Grafton, 28th October, 1895.-North Coast, vicinity of Clarence River; district includes counties Clarence and part Fitzroy. Forest trees in this district grow, I think, at about the rate of between 2 and 3 inches per annum, taking about from forty to fifty years to reach the prescribed girths. The spotted gum, however, is a much quicker growing tree than any other in this district, and I think matures in about half the time of any other. Forester Pope, Burringbar, 13th November, 1895.-North Coast, vicinity Queensland border; district includes portion county of Rous. My own personal observation does not extend over more than twelve years. During that time, however, I have had considerable opportunities of observing the growths of the different timbers in all parts of this district. I think there is no doubt whatever that the brush is increasing in area and gaining ground in the fresh country, for in very many instances tracks I knew a few years ago to be clear through open jungle or forest country, are now entirely grown up, and what was then open, or nearly so, in the crowns of the ridges (grass), is now covered with a thick growth of young brush, or, as it is more generally called locally, "scrub.” |