JPEali..— Growth of Trees. 389 



Albert Park. The Domain might easily be converted into a 

 splendid arboretum of New Zealand trees. 



Compared with Cupressus macrocarpa, Pmus insignis, and 

 the Eucalypti, our indigenous trees are certainly of slow 

 growth ; but in a favourable situation and suitable soil the 

 kauri, rimu, totara, puriri, and others make fairly rapid pro- 

 gress and require very little attention, though cultivation and 

 bonedust will certainly hasten their growth. The aspiring 

 development of the kauri, the deep- green foliage of the puriri 

 and karaka, and the graceful habit of a young rimu are all 

 very attractive to the lover of trees. 



Some of the shrubs and low-growing trees are also very 

 beautiful — for instance, the whau, the leaves of which some- 

 times exceed 1 ft. in width and 2 ft. in length. The climbing 

 ratas (Metrosideros) are also well worthy of attention. M. 

 diffusa, displaying its wealth of crimson blossoms early in the 

 spring, M. albiflora, laden with large white flowers late in 

 December, and the scarlet M. florid a in the early autumn, are 

 well worthy of cultivation, and, though difficult to transplant, 

 grow freely from seed. This, however, is a slow process, but 

 if planting were carried on extensively it would have to be 

 resorted to. 



Cultivators are too apt to think that selecting a large 

 specimen will insure rapid development, whereas the reverse 

 is generally the result. It may not be generally known that 

 the puriri and totara, and doubtless many others, can be grown 

 from cuttings. Surrounding part of my plantation is a well- 

 established totara fence grown exclusively from cuttings. 



Besides the trees mentioned in Mr. Haszard's list, there are 

 many others too recently planted to make the measurements 

 worth recording. Additions are constantly being made to 

 my collection to replace failures and establish fresh species. 

 Some of the commonest kinds I have found most difficult of 

 cultivation. I have not yet succeeded with the tawa, the 

 taraire, or the pukatea. Perhaps the most troublesome of all 

 are the semi-alpine ones — they suffer so much from the 

 drought in summer and the frost in winter. 



One object in making these plantations was to induce the 

 visits of our rapidly disappearing native birds. The frequent 

 visits of the riro-riro, the piwakawaka, and the kotare, with 

 occasional incursions of the ruru, the tui, and the pipiwharau- 

 roa, and still more rare appearance of the kaka, kukupa, 

 kohoperoa, weka, and miromiro, have amply repaid my 

 expectations. 



In conclusion, let me express a hope that these few 

 cursory remarks may induce others to attempt the cultivation 

 of our indigenous flora. 



