Notes of the Day.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXX, Issue 3599, 12 August 1912, Page 4

Notes of the Day.

THE VALUE OF AFFORESTATION. According to a special article in “Progress,” the difference in rates ci growth between New Zealand and foreign trees in this Dominion has been found to be as under The niatai (or black pine), at 7 years of age was only 19in. high, and when 24 years old had reached 14ft. The yellow pine was 42in. high at 7 years. The kauri was Sin high when 7 years old, and 36ft. high when 24 years old. The rimu was 27in. high at 7 years, and 3,5 ft. at 27 years. Foreign trees, on the contrary, were above expectation: The English sycamore at 7 years had reached 13ft., and the English ash 12ft. The European larch at 7 years had reached 20ft., and 36ft._at 10 years. The Austrian pine at 7 years had reached 9ft., and 22ft. at 10 years. Pinus radiata, or insignis, was 36ft. high at 6 years of age. Eucalyptus was over 30ft. high when 13 years and the Douglas fir 10ft. _ high at / years of age. “In addition to lieing so much quicker growing, some of the foreign trees, being deciduous, yearly shed their leaves, which,” it adds, “combine with the soil to form a magnificent lninnis, and when an artificial forest is finally out out, the ground below will be immensely enriched bv t!u‘ additi' n of ouch tamable covering to the original soil, which in our plantations is frequently of a light or poor nature. Consequently', tho plantations do good "i more ways than one.”

| VOLUNTEER ROADMAKERS. “Good roads!” is a cry that is being hoard widely in the United States at the present time, and half a dozen States have undertaken the construction of broad, smooth highways that will connect the cities with one another and encourage the farmers to use motor traction. An interesting feature of the operations has been the practical co-operation of the citizens, who have not been content to sit- idle while the State or local authorities did the -work. Thousands of men in all walks of life have taken their own hands to build the roads that they noeded. The people of Watertown County, in South Dakota, established the record by forming twenty-four miles of roadway in one day. Farmers, bankers, soldiers, land agents, insurance representatives and shop assistants formed a- team of over a thousand men, and worked under skilled direction on the highway that had been surveyed along a direct north and south line, through the country. Hundreds of horses pulled ploughs and graders, and a score or more of traction engines were also used. The Mayor of Watertown had asked all the shops to close for the day. and lie was himself one of the foremost workers. The men who were not required for the skilled work of driving the horses and engines wielded picks and shovels. A. newspaper man who made some liastv calculations, estimated that wealth to an amount of at least C 4.100.030 was represented by a comparatively small section of the volunteer roadnvakers. A start was made early in the morning, and at the end of the day twenty-four miles of road had been formed and graded in readiness for the metal that the local authorities would spread- There are many baokbloek districts in Now Zealand where an effort of this kind would bo more useful to the settlors tlinh half «. dozen deputations to the Minister of Public Works, 'the Americans have found co-operative road-making to he a simple and pleasant way of improving the means of communication.