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CHAPTER XXV. 



STOWAWAYS. 



LIKE stowaways from a vessel's hold, many weeds have leaped on the 

 new-found land to seize their share of its advantages. Such species 

 have managed to secrete themselves in grass seed, oat seed, and turnip 

 seed, amongst the grain itself, in the corners of the sacks, or in the 

 interstices of their material. Stowaways have arrived also in packets 

 of flower or vegetable seeds. Perhaps in these ways a particularly large 

 number of strangers have smuggled themselves on to Tutira. Owing 

 to the great extent of second- and third-class country sown, also to the 

 parlous state of the finances of the run in early days, cheap seeds were 

 largely purchased ; hundreds of bags of " seconds," of Yorkshire fog and 

 warehouse sweepings, have been at various times scattered broadcast 

 on its pumiceous areas. 1 



Between '82 and '88, owing to financial reasons, but little progress 

 was made in the development of Tutira. About the latter date, how- 

 ever, such improvements as sowing, which had altogether ceased, were 

 recommenced. Season by season grass was scattered broadcast over 

 many thousands of acres. There are but few of the larger blocks, 

 therefore, that have not from time to time yielded new aliens. 



The paddock known as " Stuart's " was the earliest of the large 

 areas thus successively fenced, seeded, and crushed. It furnished us 

 with four stowaways hair-grass (Aira caryophyllea), crested dog's- 

 tail (Cynosurus cristatus), foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), and common 

 vetch (Vicia sativa). These four arrived with stuff supplied by a 

 friend who, at that time, owned a business in flower, vegetable, and field 



1 When in the 'eighties on one occasion tailings were required for a neighbouring run, 

 except Arapawanui, all east-coast runs north of Napier during the 'eighties were on their last 

 legs, none were forthcoming. " For," said the store-man to the would-be purchaser, " a fellow 

 called Guthrie-Smith bought them all a month ago ; he should have got seven years for it." 



