102 Transactions.— Miscellaneous. 
to the action of the floods. In a bush country, in its natural state, quite 
other conditions obtain ; the vegetation along the river, so long as it is 
uninjured by stock or fires, affords great protection to the banks. Flood- 
water overflowing the banks is checked, and the silt deposited, whilst all 
scouring action is stopped by the roots and vegetation covering the surface 
of the ground; and when in the course of time the banks wash away, the 
vegetation at once takes possession of all the shingle-spits, so that in the 
end the forest recovers the ground lost, and the mean area of shingle 
remains the same; and also the silt brought down during floods settling 
amongst the shrubs and trees on the banks, raises them as well as the river 
bed. This is the way in which nature utilizes the shingle beds in bush 
countries ; and it appears to me that by following the same mode a vast 
area of profitless shingle bed could be turned to account, and the rivers kept 
within bounds at the same time. 
I consider planting would be within the means of the country ; and, if 
properly carried out, would eventually turn valueless shingle beds into 
valuable forest. 
I would plant a belt of willows along the river in the first instance, and, 
as these grew, the planting should be carried out on all the higher spits and 
islands. The willow-planting would be done very cheaply, a stout willow- 
stick being put down in a hole made with an iron bar. As soon as the 
willows grew, they would rapidly collect silt, and, on the ground thus formed, 
trees of useful varieties suited to the locality should be planted. Many 
flats which are only flooded slightly, on very rare occasions, could be 
planted at once; and in a few years the present shingle deserts would be 
turned into a wide expanse of young forests, with the river meandering 
through them. In addition to the planting, it would be necessary to erect 
protective works in some cases, where there was danger of the river 
destroying the plantations before they were strong enough to protect 
themselves. 
In a few years the willows would provide ample material on the spot for 
the construction of brushwood groins, and a vast amount of live protective 
works could be constructed at a small cost. 
It is to be expected that the plantations would suffer from time to time 
by the floods; but, as the banks got well covered with vegetation, the 
destruction of the river banks would be very slow, and the trees washed 
away would lodge on shingle banks and commence recovering land without 
further help. 
By utilizing the shingle beds in the manner just described, I consider 
two advantages would be gained,—the formation of a useful forest, and the 
regulation of the river so planted,—as the forest itself would form one of 
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