188 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



instance every foot in diameter of a kauri represents half a century, and the 

 average age of the kauri trees now being cut down is about 200 years. At 

 the present rate of consumption of kauri timber it is not improbable that 

 thirty yeai-s will exhaust the forests now held by our saw-mill proprietors 

 (with one or two exceptions). There will of course remain the forests already 

 acquii'ed or being acquired by Government, and which, if firmly preserved for 

 that time, and then judiciously worked, will yield an enormous revenue for a 

 long period. 



It will be evident from the foregoing considerations that other means than 

 planting native trees must be resorted to if the large and constantly increasing 

 demand for timber is to be supplied. 



Deciduous trees embrace many examples of valuable timber trees, such as 

 the oak, elm, sycamore, ash, and beech. I do not think, however, that we 

 have the necessary conditions of climate and soil in the province of Auckland, 

 north of the 38th parallel of latitude, suitable for the healthy development of 

 deciduous trees. Many of these trees require a climate with cold winters, so 

 that the activity of the five months of growth may be followed by seven 

 months of repose. 



Now, north of the 38th parallel the period of growth is much longer, and 

 the period of repose much shorter, and we have in these altered conditions I 

 think one reason for the marked failure of deciduous trees. One other 

 inimical condition exists in the fern vegetation with which all our plains are 

 covered. Deciduous trees, like artificial grasses, do not succeed on fern lands, 

 unless the land has been " sweetened " by prior cultivation or by calcareous 

 deposits, either artificially applied or already existing in the soil. South of 

 the 38th parallel where the winters are more severe the vitality of the fern is 

 not so great and grassy plains make their appearance. In such districts 

 deciduous trees will have more of the conditions they require and will succeed 

 better. Whether these or other causes are in operation to produce the want 

 of success I have noticed fi^rther experience will determine. In the meantime 

 we must look to other sources for our future supplies of timber. 



Whenever Government acquire the treeless plains lyiug between 

 Cambridge, on the Waikato river, and Lake Taupo, the opportunity will have 

 come for extensive plantations of totara to be made, as, in the few existing 

 isolated forests, such as the Waotu forest and other small patches near Lake 

 Taupo, the totara thrives well and grows to a large size. On these grassy 

 plateaux deciduous trees will I think succeed. In both cases belts of the 

 Coniferaj must be planted as " nurses " to shelter the plantations of native and 

 deciduous trees. It is not improbable if plantations of Conifcras be established 

 on our treeless plains that tliey will serve as *' resting places " for birds on the 

 wing from one distant wooded range to another. In this manner the kaka 



