246 TUTIRA 



(Plantago major), shepherd's purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris), annual 

 poa grass (Poet annua), chickweed (Stellaria media), groundsel (Senecio 

 vulgaris), and others. 



Later again, when surface-sowing commenced on a great scale, in 

 the train of valuable fodder-plants purposely scattered abroad, numbers 

 of weeds and inferior grasses, stowaways such as foxglove (Digitalis 

 purpurea), vetch (Viciasativa), hop-trefoil (Trifoliumprocumbens), hair- 

 grass (Aira caryophyllea), and many more made their appearance. 



When a greater degree of leisure had made possible the care of a 

 flower-garden, there reached Tutira one by one a multitude of those 

 plants that seem habitually to consort with their more lovely relatives 

 white dead-nettle (Lamium album), common fumitory (Fumaria officin- 

 alis), couch-grass (Agropyrum repens), pimpernel 

 (Anagallis arvensis), and a host of others. 



With tillage of the rich swamps round the edge 

 of the lake appeared species that follow the plough 

 charlock (Brassica sinapistrum), common erodium 

 (Er odium cicutarium), and others. 



With the obtainment in 1908 of a satisfactory 

 lease, an event yet to be chronicled, agricultural 

 operations began in the long-neglected trough of 

 the run. In order to discover what plants were 

 likely to thrive on its dry soils, experimental plots 

 were sown with grasses and fodder-plants of sorts 

 Sheets-bit. other than those hitherto purchased. Themselves 



hailing from dry downs, deserts, and highland 

 pastures, they too brought in their company weeds to correspond, weeds 

 of a type quite new to Tutira. Thus with burnet, milfoil, crested dog's- 

 tail, fescues of sorts, species of lotus, all purposely sown, arrived stow- 

 aways such as sheep's-bit (Jasione montana), bladder campion (Silene 

 inflata), and other upland weeds. 



Nay, even such a trivial factor as the private taste of a maid for 

 caged canaries has enriched the station by three aliens. 



In 1901 the first sods of the Napier- Wairoa road were cut. As in 

 other cases cited, the labour of man was the opportunity of plants. In 

 large numbers aliens such as vervain (Verbena officinalis), Mayweed (An- 

 themis cotula), strawberry-clover (Trifoliumfrayiferuiri) and many others, 

 reached the station by pedestrianism on their own legs, so to speak. 



