474: Transactions. — Botany. 



economy, in order to save a few miles of posts and wire, a 

 telegraph-line 3 chains wide was cut through the very heart of 

 the bush, and at the same time a settlement was laid out on 

 the margin at a place where a heavy kahikatea swamp would 

 for many years have prevented the encroachment of accidental 

 fires. What any bushman would have foreseen was not long 

 in happening. The fires on the telegraph-line were soon joined 

 by those w^hich spread from the settlement. The bush was 

 first gutted and then swept ; and at the present time the 

 greater portion of this magnificent forest is destroyed. The 

 same thing is going on on a large scale around the village 

 settlements in the north, in every mining and timber district, 

 and to a greater or lesser degree wherever a new encroach- 

 ment is made. 



4. Changing Character of the Bush. 



In view of the altered conditions to which the bush has to 

 submit, we shall not be surprised to find that the surviving 

 portions are generally undergoing important changes in 

 character and appearance. We have already noticed the 

 effect of the presence of cattle and pigs in poaching the soil, 

 lacerating the roots, and removing the protective covering of 

 the undergrowth. This, however, is only the beginning, for 

 presently a general and gradual decay sets in, and the more 

 delicate trees — as the tawa, mahoe, kahikatea, and a host of 

 others — die out in rapid succession, leaving the hardier 

 varieties — including most of the pines— standing ; and even 

 of these the full-grown specimens generally succumb sooner 

 or later at a rate proportionable to the pressure of the new 

 conditions, and to their own powers of resistance. 



5. Second Groivth. 

 Nature, however, does her best to restore the damage done 

 to her domain ; and on the ground thus opened up, and indeed 

 very often over large areas that have been wholly cleared, 

 a "second growth " of the non-edible varieties soon makes its 

 appearance, and under favourable circumstances frequently 

 attains to very respectable dimensions, though both in size 

 and variety it is far inferior to the original bush. Occasionally 

 this second growth exhibits itself in seedlings from the sur- 

 viving trees, as in the case of totaras, rimus, miros, beeches, 

 and kahikateas, when a thriving young family may be seen 

 surrounding the old forest patriarchs, or taking their place 

 when they are removed or die from accident or exposure ; 

 but more generally it is composed to a large extent of varie- 

 ties which have hitherto been absent or inconspicuous. The 

 character and appearance of the second growth vary greatly, 

 according to local conditions. As a rule, one or two species 



