282 THE WOODS OF NEW ZEALAND. [Feb. 



diffusing the theory and practice of seed-sowing are scattered 

 througliout the country. An extensive literature on the subject has 

 also arisen. The most striking publication on the subject, is that by 

 Professor Arrhenius in the 18 th number of the magazine entitled, 

 " Collection of Small Works on Agriculture." Machines, more or less 

 elaborate for seed-cleaning, are coming into general use. And 

 seed exhibitions have been organized at Christianstadt in 1880, at 

 Boras in 1881, at Sundsvall in 1882, and at Kalmar in 1883. 

 Mr. L. 0. Smith, a merchant in Stockholm, has put a considerable 

 sum at the disposal of the Eoyal Academy of Agriculture for the 

 purpose of instituting definite comparative experiments on Swedish 

 and other seeds in different parts of Southern Europe. 



Could Sweden, after all, be a seed nursery for Europe ? Already 

 about 7 to 17 per cent, of its superficial area is under cultivation, 

 and this is being added to by large additions every year. Thus 

 14,339 hectares were added in 1880, and the new " clearings " 

 have been since on a much more extended scale. Indeed, it would 

 appear that the area of land being thus reclaimed from its natural 

 condition, is now nearly as great as that formerly alone under 

 tillage. The official averages of the weiglit of the harvests of the 

 years 1874 to 1881 have been— Wheat, 8786 millions of kilo- 

 grammes; rye, 48,737; barley, 32,082; oats, 77,453. The 

 value of the whole harvest for the year 1874 was 2460 millions 

 of francs, while that of 1882 was 3939 millions of francs ; there 

 being a steady increase in the intervening years. It appears, then, 

 that Sweden is capable of supplj-ing an increased demand of seeds 

 of cereals and other food-plants for exportation, as well as supplying 

 the wants of her own people. 



THE WOODS OF NEW ZEALAND. 



ACCORDING to Mr. Simmonds, the forest land of the colony 

 was estimated at 12,130,000 acres in 1873, being nearly 

 equally distributed betwixt the North and South Islands ; but this 

 area has much diminished within the last ten years. 



Many of the more valuable trees of Europe, America, and 

 Australia which have been introduced, attain a vigour almost beyond 

 that of their native habitats. 



The New Zealand woods vary very much among themselves. 

 Many varieties are very durable — manuka {Lcptospernium ericoides), 

 totara (Podocarjms toiara), kauri (Dammara australis), black birch 

 {Fagus fusci), kowhai {Sopliora tdra'ptcra), and matai (Fodocarjous 

 spicata) appear to be the most useful and highly esteemed. 



