Hamilton. — On the Forests of Netv Zealand. 151 



Crossing the great range of the Southern Alps we come to 

 a different climate and country, and in the eight or nine 

 milhon acres in Canterbury the estimated area of forest-land 

 is under half a milhon acres — an area chiefly made up by 

 patches of bush at the heads of the rivers and on the moun- 

 tain-slopes. 



The treeless plains of Canterbury continue across the 

 Waitaki, and the whole of Northern and Central Otago are 

 practically treeless, and consequently dry — cold in winter 

 and hot in summer. Of the 9,000,000 acres included in the 

 Otago Province only a small portion is forest-land. The 

 Catlin's and Tautuku forests contain a considerable amount of 

 marketable timber, though in the former district the timber 

 most easily accessible has been cut. To the westward there 

 are several considerable patches about the lakes, and the 

 southern and western regions of Southland have still a good 

 deal of bush, but, including Stewart Island, there is only 

 half a million acres out of about 7,000,000 comprised in the 

 district. 



The forests in the more immediate vicinity of the centres 

 of civilisation have of necessity been cut out and worked to 

 supply the requirements of trade; and in the goldiields district 

 the scanty trees have been destroyed for mining purposes. To 

 their legitimate use no objection can be taken, however one 

 may regret the manner in which it has been done ; but when 

 the beautiful scenery of some of our lakes has been temporarily 

 ruined, in part by fires, i-aised either intentionally or uninten- 

 tionally, it is a different matter, and one which cannot be too 

 widely discussed and deprecated. The instances which we 

 have already had of the ravages fire may make in a few hours 

 in a fjrest which has been the growth of centuries render 

 it imperative that every care should be taken, under proper 

 directions, for the conservation of the natural beauties in 

 each and every place when they are not in the way of the 

 advancement of the settlement of the country. 



In this connection it is satisfactory to notice the plantation 

 reserves made in various parts of Otago, and the apparent 

 impetus given within the la,st few years to tree-planting by 

 the institution of Arbor Day. That the interest of settlers 

 can be aroused in tree-planting and improving bare and waste 

 places is apparent. Observation also shows that, with the 

 best intentions, ignorance of the kinds of trees most suitable 

 for such planting is widespread ; and to a certain extent this 

 is not to be wondered at, as it is quite impossible to recom- 

 mend a selection of any considerable number of trees that 

 would certainly grow and prosper under unknown conditions 

 of soil, aspect, or climate. 



The neat gardens at our railway-stations, and the local 



