500 MONOCOTYLEDONS AND FERNS 



travelling on the shores of Lake Taupo in 1839, "found a fine plant 

 of wheat. The natives could not say how it got there, and Mr Chapman, 

 the Missionary, was the only European who had ever been there, and 

 that only three weeks before." 



At the present time wheat only occurs wild as a very occasional 

 escape from cultivation. 



Triticum caninum, Huds. 



Recorded by W. W. Smith in 1903 as occurring in Ashburton 

 County; not found since. 



Triticum junceum. Linn. 



Recorded by W. W. Smith in 1903 from Ashburton County; not 

 gathered since. 



Elymus arenarius, Linn. Sea-lyme Grass 



The Agricultural Department reports this as well distributed in 

 New Zealand, but it is everywhere a planted species, which has been 

 utilised in several parts for binding sand-dunes. It does not appear 

 to have spread anywhere. 



Hordeum vulgar e, Linn. Barley 



Probably included in the corn sown by Captain Cook in 1773 in 

 the gardens in Queen Charlotte Sound. -Only occurs as an escape 

 from cultivation, and nowhere grows as a wild species. 



Nicholas, who accompanied Marsden to New Zealand in 1814-15, 

 speaks of a plantation of Siberian barley at the Bay of Islands in 

 February of the latter year. 



A correspondent of the Farmers' Union Advocate gives the fol- 

 lowing interesting extract from the diary of the late Rev. J. G. Butler : 



On the morning of Wednesday, May 3, 1820, the agricultural plough was 

 for the first time put into the land of New Zealand at Kiddikiddi (Kerikeri), 

 and I felt much pleasure in holding it after a team of six bullocks, brought 

 down by the " Dromedary." I trust that this auspicious day will be remem- 

 bered with gratitude and its anniversary kept by ages yet unborn. Every 

 heart seemed to rejoice on the occasion. I hope it will still continue to 

 increase, and in a short time produce an abundant harvest. 



The results of the ploughing were reaped from i2th December, 1820, 

 to 8th January, 1821 , regarding which Mr Butler wrote : "While I am 

 writing down these lines, I have seven natives in sight reaping down 

 a field of barley on land which 12 months ago was overrun with 

 ferns." The Rev. Mr Butler left New Zealand in 1823 and returned 

 about 1840, and settled at Petone, where he died. 



