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A further representation was made to the Government by the Superintendent, Botanical and Afforestation Department, in the following letter dated the 10th August, 1905.
BOTANICAL AND AFFORESTATION DEPARTMENT, Hongkong, 10th August, 1905.
SIR, I have the bonour to state that upon attempting to prepare a working plan for future Forestry operations, I find it to be impracticable to do so upon the system authorized by Council on 24th July, 1903.
The Executive Council convened on that date decided that selection felling should be adopted throughout Hongkong except in Forest Divisions 4 and 5. The system applied to a 35-year rotation that authorized on the same occasion-means that the annual number of fellings (about 10,000 trees next year) will take place over a large area, the trees being selected here and there, one in thirty-five, out of the whole crop. In the ensuing planting season the gaps caused by the fall of these single trees would have to be found and planted with 3-6 saplings each, according to the size of the gap.
These would have to be found again if watering were required, which it usually is several times before the rains commence. The amount of labour required for these operations would alone render the cost of them prohibitive. But a more serious difficulty would be encountered. The second and all subsequent selection fellings would be made in immediate proximity to rising saplings many of which must of necessity be damaged by the fall of the adult trees. These difficulties do not arise in places where natural regeneration takes place for the ground is at all times kept stocked with saplings by nature and the destruction of a few matters little; as nature moreover fills the gaps caused by felling, no extra expense is caused by their diffuseness. Selection felling in that case may be very, desirable but under our local conditions no natural regeneration taking place some modification will be necessary.
I would propose for the consideration of the Goverument the adoption of the "Shelter wood Strip System." In this method of felling and re-planting, narrow strips of wood are felled, the remainder being left standing to protect the saplings which are subsequently planted in the clearings. No very conspicuous gaps are made, the planting areas are easy to find, and the adult trees next the saplings can be felled away from them.
If all trees were felled at exactly 35 years old in Hongkong the plantations would be felled as they were planted, in blocks. If the selection or shelter-wood systems are adopted it is not possible to cut all trees at the right age, but mature blocks should be felled within as short a period of years as is possible without making conspicuous gaps. By cutting and re-planting judiciously, homo- geneous blocks can be stratified so as to yield regular crops of adult trees.
Only of the ground (in two narrow strips) is ever bare at the saine time, i.e., 4 times 35 years; the departure from the uormal rotation of 35 years is never more than 5 years and after three cycles is reduced to nothing; that is to say in the first and second cycles soine trees are ent 5 years too young, some 4 years too old; in the third cycle all are cut at the best age.-I have, &c.,
S. T. DUNN,
Superintendent, Botanical and Afforestation Department.
The Honourable
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY.
The matter was again considered in Executive Council on the 24th August, 1905, and a resolution was passed to the effect that in view of the difficulty and expense of re-planting under the selection felling system, the "Shelterwood Strip System" of felling and re-planting should be adopted except in Forest Districts 4 and 5, where "block" felling should be continued.
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