484 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ December 26, I860. 



via Lake Wanaka, in 1865, sow on the banks of the Burke River 

 tree Ferns at an elevation of not less than 1200 feet above 

 the sea. In the mountain forests and ravines of Nelson they, 

 according to Haast, ascend to the still greater height of 2000. 



The testimony of all explorers points to the fact that tree 

 Ferns are most abundant and luxuriant in the forests of the 

 west coast ; this has been noticed especially by Hector, Haast, 

 and others in regard to " the bush " which fringes the deep 

 sounds or fiords of that coast — e. g., Thompson's Sound and 

 Charles's Sound, where thev frequently attain a height of 

 30 feet, while their umbrella-like tops of fronds have a diameter 

 of 14 or 15 feet. This maximum abundance and luxuriance of 

 tree Ferns on the west coast is associated by travellers with its 

 superior moisture and temperature, the atmosphere of the dense, 

 dark, jungly forest being saturated with damp, while the soil 

 is a mass of the richest vegetable mould, composed mainly of 

 the dead and rotting trunks of phaenogamons trees and shrubs, 

 as well as of arborescent and other Ferns, with soft, rotten tree 

 trunks and branches covered with Mosses and Hepatic*, the 

 whole mass soaked in moisture, and forming a deceitful, tangled 

 compost, into which one may frequently sink to the middle, or 

 even overhead. There exist as yet no data for the determina- 

 tion of the precise climatological conditions of the west eoasl ; 

 and very meagre indeed are the materials obtainable for even 

 an approximate exhibition of the general meteorology of Otago. 

 But if Dr. Hooker's remark is correct, that "Ferns are natural 

 hygrometers, and their luxuriance a certain proof of the dam r- 

 ness of a climate," the presence of Ferns in such beauty and 

 plenty in the Otaso bush must be held conelu'-'i-e as to the 

 humidity of the Otago climate. In connection with this it 

 must be noticed that, in proportion as the forest is opened up 

 to light and air by the woodman's axe, tree Ferns disappear, 

 while the whole climate becomes drier ; hence it happens that 

 on the east corst, where the patches of bush are scant, and 

 the bush itself lias been thinned or cleared for the purposes of 

 colonisation, tree Ferns, which were formerly abundant, are 

 now rare, and of no great size or beauty. 



The acclimatisation of the New Zealand tree Ferns in the 

 gardens and pleasure'grounds of Britain has lately been attract- 

 ing the attention of some of our most experienced horticulturists. 

 Mr. Gorrie appears to regard them as sufficiently hardy to be 

 suited for out-door growth throughout the year in this country. 

 The circumstances favourable to the success of such experi- 

 mental acclimatisation are the following : — Mr. Gorrie mentions 

 that some of these tree Ferns have in this country successfully 

 withstood a temperature of 20 = Fahr. without fire heat, but 

 under glass. Certain other Ferns and certain lowland phneno- 

 gams of New Zealand have proved hardy in Britain in the open 

 air. They occur in New Zealand and Tasmania associated 

 with ice and snow ; they ascend as high as 2000 feet — altitude 

 being regarded as so far equalising the difference in latitude 

 between Otago and Scotland. The Otago and Canterbury Alps 

 are more than twice as high as those of Scotland — Mount Cook, 

 the culminating point of the range, lat. 43° 30' S., attaining 

 13,000 feet ■ the presence of mountains of such elevation, capped 

 with perpetual snow, and flanked by gigantic glaciers, tending 

 to modify the insular climate, and. as in the last case, assisting 

 in the equalisation of latitudinal differences. Though the winters 

 in the lowlands and on the coasts appear to he milder than those 

 of Britain, in the interior they are more rigorous, resembling 

 those of the Swiss Alps ; while, except in so far as there is a 

 less marked contrast between summer and winter, the climate 

 of Otago does not greatly differ from that of Scotland. The ex- 

 periment of acclimatisation would be assisted in its chances of 

 success by imitating, as far as possible in this country, the con- 

 ditions of growth of the Ferns in New Zealand — viz., by se- 

 lecting as the localities of trial the milder districts of the south 

 of England, or of the west coasts of Scotland and Ireland, 

 which latter are at the same time moister, and, like the west 

 coast of Otago. distinguished by the variety, abundance, and 

 luxuriance of their native Fern vegetation. 



The unfavourable circumstances are, apparently, the growth 

 of the Otago Fern trees in the dark shade of the dank, dense 

 jungles, and the difference in latitude between Otngo and Scot- 

 land, amounting to about 10°. The district of Otago lies be- 

 tween 44° and 47° S. ; Scotland between 55° and 58° N. ; Dune- 

 din, 45° 53' S. ; Edinburgh, 55° 57' N. The difference in 

 temperature — that ofDunedin, summer, 59° ; winter, 42°; mean 

 annual, 51°; Edinburgh, summer. 5S°; winter, 37°; mean 

 annual, 47". The isothermal of 50° in the northern hemisphere 

 passes through central Ireland and the south of England ; but 

 in the southern hemisphere it passes southward of Otago. 



On the whole, though I heartily concur in the desirability of 

 making all due experiment, I am disposed to doubt whether the 

 tree Ferns and most other Ferns of New Zealand will be found 

 hardy enough to stand the severest British winters unprotected 

 from the unnatural influences of excessive light, cold, and dry- 

 ness : I have none as to their suitability for growth in conserva- 

 tories, where their natural condition of existence can be closely 

 imitated. Mr. Buchanan, whose long experience as an Otago 

 settler, and whose position as botanist attached to the Geolo- 

 gical Survey of Otago entitles his opinion to great weight, states 

 as his belief that the five arborescent Ferns of Otago (Cyathea, 

 three species, and Dicksonia, two species), would grow in Britain 

 in the open air if planted in park woods. Experience alone 

 can decide; and meanwhile let us hope that some of our lead- 

 ing horticulturists who possess the necessary opportunities will 

 institute the experiments. 



Of the smaller New Zealand Ferns, species more or less 

 hardy in Britain may be looked for in the genera Leptopteris, 

 Nephrodium, Aspiuium, Polypodium, Asplenium, Trichomanes, 

 Hymenophyllum, and Lomaria. Some of these are alpine or 

 sub-alpine, ascendingto considerable elevations. Haast remarks 

 on the considerable altitudinal range of species of Lomaria, 

 Asplenium, and Aspidium, on the western alps of Nelson ; and 

 Buchanan states that Lycopods in Otago are common in the 

 higher ranges of the south-eastern districts, at or above 1000 feet, 

 where snow frequently falls. — [Farmer.) 



NEW BOOK. 



Benedicite: or. the Song of the Tina 1 Children being Illustra- 

 tion) <>f tin- l'oiccr. Wisdom, and Goodness of God as Manifested 

 in His Works. By G. Chaplin Ciiii.h', M.D. Two vols. 

 12mo. London : John Murray. 



■When we read the title of these volumes we thought that 

 their contents were on a subject outside our province, but on 

 perusal rejoiced to find that first impression erroneous. 



It is now many years since the great naturalist John Ray 

 published his celebrated work on the wisdom and goodness of 

 God as manifested in the works of creation. Science since his 

 days has made marvellous advances. Year by year fresh dis- 

 coveries have been recorded, still larger additions to our stock 

 of knowledge ; but during all these great onward marches that 

 wisdom and goodness have only been better understood, and 

 more and more clearly demonstrated. Of such scientific re- 

 searches the author of these deeply interesting volumes has 

 carefully and ably availed himself. Ve commend strongly the 

 work to our readers, and do so with the conviction that it will 

 have a wide, welcomed, and beneficial circulation. For a spe- 

 cimen we opened one of the volumes at a venture, and it is at 

 the page where Dr. Child is commenting on the elevations of 

 our earth. 



" In ascending lofty tropical mountains successive belts of vegetation 

 are traversed, which represent in miniature the different climates of 

 i hi :■ i iii as we pass from the equator towards the poles. At the base 

 of the Peruvian Andes, for example, the traveller finds himself in the 

 glowing temperature of the tropics. For the first 5000 feet of ascent 

 In- way lies among Pine Apples, Cocoas, Bananas and other kinds of 

 Palms, with bright aud fantastic-looking Orchids clustering on the 

 trees, and marking the equatorial character of tin licit. While plod- 

 ding his way up the next 5(100 feet of ascent the traveller sees much 

 to remind him of the vegetation of temperate climates: — the Vine 

 flourishes, while crops of Maize and Wheat luxuriantly clothe the 

 ground, as in southern Europe. In passing through the next 5000 feet 

 the temperature gradually chills into severe cold. At first vegetation 

 wears the aspect of the higher ' temperate ' climates. The Wheat has 

 disappeared, and figuratively the traveller may be said to be as far 

 north" as John o'Groat's ; but the Potato still thrives, while Barley and 

 Rye assimilate the climate to that of parts of Norway. The stately 

 trees of the lower belts have disappeared, and the forests are thin and 

 degenerate, until at length a scrubby Piue or Birch is their sole repre- 

 sentative. Here, at an altitude equal to the summit of Mont Blanc, 

 the first wreaths of perpetual snow aud the last efforts of expiring 

 vegetation come into contact. Plantal life as usual dies out with the 

 Moss and the Lichen. 



" Mountain ranges and lofty plateaux form a natural sanatorium fre- 

 quently established by Providence in the midst of hot, unhealthy 

 tropical countries. The worn-out invalid finds on these cool heights a 

 climate which soon restores him to health, and enables him again to 

 encounter the less favourable influences of the plains. Recent im- 

 provements iu travelling have enhanced the value of this blessing by 

 enabling many to take advantage of the changewho formerly could not 

 profit bv it. 'The Madrasian retires to recruit his exhausted vigour 

 I among the bracing Nejlgherries ; the citizen of Calcutta travels to the 



