NATURALISATION OF FOREST TREES. 229 



of product, rapidity of growth and forest form and ecological 

 requirements, has received much attention in Europe in the case 

 of the more important indigenous forest species, in connection 

 with sources of seed-supply. It has been proved by extensive 

 experiments in Germany and Austria that these varieties are 

 inherited (though the degree of inheritance varies with different 

 species) and the conclusion is drawn that it is always best to obtain 

 seed for reforestation in a certain zone from the climatic variety 

 indigenous to that zone. For instance, Norway Spruce from 

 seeds from alpine situations, when grown in lowland situations, 

 retains its characteristics of slower growth and more stunted 

 form and is not even more hardy to frost than the lowland variety 

 because it retains its characteristic of budding out earlier in spring 

 and is more liable to suffer from late frosts. A German, Schott, 

 experimented with seed of Scotch pine from 62 different localities 

 and found great differences among them as to physiological 

 characteristics. Vilmorin-Andrieux & Co. have growing in their 

 testing ground about 30 different varieties of Scotch pine, according 

 to the source of the seed, while in Sweden it is a rule of the Forest 

 Administration to use only Swedish seed of Scotch Pine for 

 their reforestation. Black Walnut from seed from the Mississippi 

 States is killed by frost in the North-Eastern states, though the 

 range of the species includes the latter. 



If these inherited climatic varieties are of such importance 

 in the transference of a species from one climatic zone of its 

 natural range to another, it is only a corollary to assume that they 

 are of equal importance when introducing an exotic species. We 

 have certainly had sufficient experience of the varying hardiness 

 to frost of some species of gums to support this contention. It 

 is quite possible that some species of trees, w'hich have so far 

 proved partial failures here, would have proved complete successes, 

 not only if they had been tried in different localities here, but also 

 if their seed had been obtained from different localities in their 

 native range. Hence for afforestation in this country, it will 

 be desirable to obtain the seed of a certain species from various 

 localities in its natural home to fit corresponding localities here. 

 For instance, seed of Piniis pinaster from the Landes should be 

 suitable for the Western Province, but for this Colony we are 

 now obtaining its seed from the drier climate of the South of 

 France. 



Sometimes, though not always, these biological varieties coincide 

 with more or less distinct botanical varieties, as in the case of 

 some of the varieties of Scotch Pine and probably of many Eu- 

 calyptus, but these botanical varieties may themselves cover 

 a wide range of localities and so may not be sufficiently accurate 

 guides. It is naturally with these species or botanical varieties 

 having wide ranges that most care as to the origin of seed-supplies 

 is necessary. 



Possible external aids in the selection of species. 



Morphological characteristics of species, such as the well-known 

 xerophytic and halophytic adaptations, deserve mention, though 



