-2-
that they can be protected from depredations.
That no doubt
37
The
has been the main difficulty all along, but unless it can be
overcome it is no use spending money on plantation work.
typhoons are another adverse factor, as they are in Mauritius,
but with good silviculture it should be possible to make the
plantations reasonably 'wind-firm'.
3. On the whole I should think that the prospects of establishing
forestry on a profitable basis in Hong Kong were sufficiently good
to justify an examination of the economic factors involved by an
experienced officer of the Malayan Forest Service, and the Hong
Kong Government might consider the suggestion. The brief visit
that would be necessary for the purpose would not be very costly.
If the plantations could be made to yield a larger return, the
Government could afford to spend more money on policing them.
4.
The proposals in the Superintendent's memorandum for the forma-
tion of reserves are deserving of support, as are also those for
organizing the protective forest staff on a basis of territorial
responsibility, and domiciling them on their beats instead of at
headquarters. I do not feel equally sure about the proposal for
complete separation of the protective from the 'field' staff (the
latter being apparently concerned with afforestation), as beat
guards can often be usefully employed on silvicultural work inci-
dentally to their patrol duties. Also, if they have a hand in the
planting of the forest, they will be more zealous in protecting
their own handiwork. But it is impossible to be definite on this
point without knowing more of local conditions.
5. The silvicultural problem of invasion of coniferous forests
and plantations by broad-leaved indigenous growth is a familiar
one in many parts of the world, and it would be interesting to know
the technique by which such growth is 'discouraged' in order to
favour natural regeneration of Pine: the idea is certainly sound
if the measures involved can be carried out at reasonable cost.
Deliberate burning of the undergrowth to set back the 'succession'
of vegetation is sometimes resorted to in such cases.