296 Agriculture and Horticulture in New Zealand. 
in the open in the wetter parts of the North Island. Lowland Banks Peninsula 
does not answer to the above description, for the climate is much warmer 
in winter. In Otago, near the coast, the climate of winter is milder than in 
Canterbury, but the summers are cooler and there is less sunshine. In conse- 
quence, more tender species can be grown in many localities e. g., — Zeuca- 
dendron argenteum, The climate especially favours alpine plants so that not 
y can European, North American and Himalayan species be grown with 
the greatest ease, but the indigenous plants, much more difficult to cultivate, 
thrive amazingly. Further S. still, at Invercargill, the great subantarctic herbs 
grow most vigorously. 
Fruit growing is becoming a thriving industry. Apples, pears and plums 
are grown in all parts of the lowland and montane belts, but for fruit-growing 
for commercial purposes certain localities are especially suited. The 
gumlands’ soil of Auckland is suitable for the cultivation of apples, pears, peaches, 
.nectarines, apricots and plums; grapes are also grown to some extent. Oranges 
and lemons, as already noted, grow well. The area of land occupied by 
orchards and vineyards in Auckland is 12,035 acres. Apple orchards are rapid- 
ly becoming an important feature of Nelson, orchard occupying 4894‘) acres. 
The area of land occupied by fruit-trees in Hawke’s Bay, Wellington, Canter- 
 bury and ‚Otago is respectively, 2421 acres; 3646; 3043 and 4041. Central 
Otago with its climate, far drier and more sunny than any other part ofNew 
Zealand, notwithstanding® its winter-cold greater than elsewhere, is specialy 
” ‚suited for the well-being of peaches, apricots, nectarines and grapes, so thata 
| - industry has arisen, the green orchards offering a startling contrast 
to the. barren hillsides. The area under orchard in this distant locality is. 
1662 acres. Here irrigation is being carried out successfully and, before long, 
much of what is now virtually desert will be transformed into orchards and 
dairy farms, the latter with lucerne as s their main pasture. 
Ä ; belts of trees for shelter especially of Eucalyptus globulus, Pinus radiata and 
a meh et ar ‚the deciduous ee trees and many. other 
as a necessity 
vernm we nt i in 2% and the mir er 
ey yon Dr year. ie the Br from gan > 
