Firth. — On Forest Culture. 189 



and other birds will deposit the seeds of many native trees amoDg the young 

 plantations of Coniferse, and in return will carry the seeds of the latter to the 

 ranges clothed with native forest. 



In concluding this division of forest cultivation I trust I have shown that 

 if judicious and well-sustained efforts be made to create forests of our most 

 valuable native trees, it is not unreasonable to hope that we shall be enabled 

 to transmit to our descendants the wealth of timber suitable for every 

 industrial and economic purpose which our native trees possess. 



Desirable as it may be that great and sustained efforts should be made by 

 Government to create forests of our native trees, it is, however, clear from 

 their slow growth that they can only become useful as the forests of the far 

 off future, and I pass on to the consideration of the important question, 

 " What trees ought we to plant for use in the immediate future T 



After long and careful consideration I am convinced that our efforts in 

 the direction of forest creation must be mainly directed to raise forests from 

 the two great orders of the Eucalypti and Coniferce. 



Many of the Eucalypti succeed well on our clay soils, growing with great 

 rapidity. One variety, the blue gum [Eucalyptus globulus), the " anti-fever 

 tree," has acquired an importance in Europe, India, and elsewhere, which, 

 together with its many valuable qualities, ought to induce us to cultivate it 

 extensively. The red gum [E. rostrata), stringy bark {E. gigantea), pepper- 

 mint tree {E. amygdalina), grow to a large size and have many valuable 

 properties. Another variety, the jarrah (E. marginata), is said to be very 

 durable in sea water, not being subject to the attacks of the Teredo. In the 

 province of Auckland hundreds of thousands of acres of stiff clay lands, 

 worthless for pastoral or agricultural purposes, might be planted with varieties 

 of Eucalypti with very great advantage. 



If large tracts were thus planted great benefit would be derived by all 

 adjacent lands which are now sterile, by rendering them much more suitable 

 for grazing and agricultural purposes, besides yielding a large revenue at no 

 distant date to those who plant them, whether Government or private persons. 



In Mr. Yogel's Forests Act, 1874, Government obtained powers to 

 expend .£10,000 per annum in forest cultivation, etc., but failed to secure 

 authority to take the necessary lands on which to conserve or create forests. 

 Under these circumstances I have addressed a letter to the Colonial Secretary, 

 pointing out that in at least one district in this province Government possesses 

 a large tract of land admirably adapted for the cultivation of the blue gum ', 

 that district being the tract lying between Meremere and Kangiriri in the 

 Lower Waikato. This tract of land is a stiff sterile clay and quite unsuitable 

 for agricultural operations. It is bounded on the west by the Waikato Hiver, 

 and on the east by the Mercer and Ngaruawahia railway, now in course of 



