80 JOURNAL OF FORESTRY 



SILVICULTURE, PROTECTION, AND EXTENSION 



W. G. Morrison has presented a very interest- 

 Afforestation ing and effective means of securing tree growth 

 in in open grass country of New Zealand. The area 



Nezv Zealand under discussion is known as the Hanmer Plains, 

 an open, flat country at fairly high elevation, 

 covered with mountain bunch grass. On protected slopes there are a 

 few southern beech found but the general country contains no tree 

 growth. Originally it is believed that there were some other species of 

 trees growing in protected places but they were burned or destroyed 

 "by the sheep herders as large bands of sheep are pastured in this region. 

 Heavy forests approach these grass-covered plains on the west and 

 their existence is clearly due to rainfall, there being no trees native to 

 New Zealand capable of growing under such conditions of dryness as 

 are found on Hanmer Plains. In particular the number of rainy days 

 during the year is of prime importance as frequency of rain rather 

 than large amount seems to be the determining factor since evaporation 

 is extremely high due to terrific northwest winds that sweep the area. 

 It is necessary, therefore, that frequent showers should take place. 

 Although no trees native to New Zealand are able to grow and repro- 

 duce themselves under these conditions, there are a number of conif- 

 erous species native to Europe and North America which are able 

 to thrive here. Some of these exotic conifers were planted around 

 sheep stations 40 to 50 years ago and they have formed nuclei from 

 which a large amount of reproduction is spreading in spite of the 

 drying winds, heavy damage from rabbits, and heavy sheep grazing-. 

 Monterey pine (Finns radiata), cluster pine (Pinus pinaster), silver 

 birch (Betula alba), English oak (Quercus pedunculata), European 

 larch {Larix europea), and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) are the chief 

 species represented. All of these, with the exception of the oak, have 

 reproduced heavily as far as 200 yards to the windward, there being 

 from several hundred to a thousand seedlings per acre. The oak has 

 reproduced heavily beneath its crown and a chain or more distant. The 

 duster pine has, in certain instances, spread as far as two miles to 

 the windward. Monterey pine and Scots pine have been notably suc- 

 cessful in spreading. Typically there may be found the old mother 

 80 feet tall, the offspring which will be 20 to 30 feet high and seeding 

 profusely and the small seedlings of the second generation from a few 

 inches to a foot or more in height. The growth is exceedingly dense, 



