711
3. Minute by Mr. S. T. Dunn, Superintendent, Botanical and Afforestation Department, on Mr. Ford's Letter.
Hon. COLONIAL SECRETARY.
Mr. FORD advocates a 50-year in preference to a 25-year rotation. He says it would make the Island more beautiful and that it would be more lucrative. He says the chief object is the greatest and best returns to be obtained from living
trees.
In the first plea Mr. FoкD is right from the point of view of wild beauty. It is however useless to look forward to regular plantations of large pines because only here and there is the ground good enough to produce them.
In the great majority of localities the pines show a very small increase and often failure after a period varying from 10 to 30 years, the particular term being probably decided by the roots coming in contact with the solid rock.
The question of health-giving and water-conserving properties is not affected by length of rotation.
A short rotation is better where risks of fires, etc., exist.
The short rotation is more profitable. It is true that a 50-year tree is worth more than double a 25-year tree but it takes up the room of at least 4 of them.
For purposes of economic management it is beneficial to select a rotation that sball serve for as large a proportion of trees as possible. A 50-year rotation would only be possible on a small proportion of the Island.
It would probably be better to grow more valuable trees if a long rotation is decided upon.
On the whole, I recommend the cultivation of the pine on a 25-year rotation leaving belts along the roads.
S. T. DUNN,
4. Minute by His Excellency the Governor with reference Mr. Ford's Letter and Mr. Dunn's reply.
Hon. COLONIAL SECRETARY.
In adopting our present policy in the matter of forestry we believed that we were following Mr. FORD's intention and that we were acting for the best not only in the matter of getting revenue from timber but also in securing a constantly tree-covered condition to the Island.
Mr. FORD in his letter to you anticipates disaster as a result of this policy. Mr. DUNN supports the policy from the financial point of view, but his figures do not show any very considerable advantage from the short rotation, which however obviates some risks from forest fires.
I look upon the matter as one of considerable importance, and in view of the divergent advice received from two experts, I propose to ask the Governor Ge neral of India to obtain for us the opinion of the Inspector General of Forests in India, in some parts of which country the forestry conditions are not unlike ours.
For this purpose please ask the Superintendent, Botanical and Afforestation Department, to prepare a full statement of his case.
In the meantime tree felling should be suspended, except as far as it may be necessary to fulfil existing contracts, and forest thinning resorted to as heretofore.
M. NATHAN.
12-12-04.