FIJI-NEW ZEALAND EXPEDITION 285 
the weather in North Island was not severe there was a nagging 
ehill in the air which proved quite disturbing to all of us. Per- 
haps our real difficulty was not the cold of outdoors so much as 
the cold indoors due to the inadequate heating facilities. The 
New Zealanders’ aversion to fire in all forms is most marked! 
Their cold hotels, cold stores, cold trains, and cold dwellings 
rather ‘‘got on our nerves’’ and threatened our health. While 
the New Zealand friends professed to enjoy the English tradition 
with respect to low room temperature we noticed that they crowd- 
ed about a good fire on those rare occasions when burning wood 
was seen. 
However uncomfortable this winter climate for people, it is not 
so unfavorable for plants. Even though the major portion of 
these islands has a south temperate position corresponding to that 
of Iowa in north latitude, their vegetation is practically evergreen. 
Trees on North Island with very few exceptions retain their 
foliage throughout the year, though introduced forms, such as the 
oaks, follow their traditional habit. The forests, and fields as 
well, must present a remarkably uniform aspect throughout the 
year. Of South Island I can not speak from personal experience, 
but both latitude and altitude conspire to give it a much more 
rigorous climate as a whole. There are local exceptions where 
mountains shelter favored and fruitful areas such as that at Nel- 
son at the north end of this island. 
Due to these expressions of its ocean climate, mild winters and 
high humidity, the plants of North Island are mostly of the thick 
leaved evergreen type. Through modification of texture and 
stomata their leaves are able to function throughout the year 
without undue hazard to the plant. Compared with our deciduous 
foliage these leaves are much thicker and tougher, with multiplied 
epidermal layers, heavy mechanical tissues, greatly thickened 
cuticle, and numerous trichomes. In these respects they are com- 
parable to the strand vegetation seen in Fiji. As will be noted 
later the strategy of New Zealand’s agriculture grows out of a 
climate permitting evergreen vegetation. On cultivated land this 
means favorable pasturage throughout the entire year, with less- 
ened need for hay and grain. 
The flora of New Zealand presents an interesting group of 
plants about which much has been written. With a great divers- 
ity of habitat ranging from ocean-shore through coastal formations 
and uplands to mountains of considerable height, the narrow 
