Wellington Philosophical Society. 429 



ABSTEACT. 



The author pomted out the evil results arising from the indiscriminate 

 destruction of the forests, especially at the head-waters of our rivers, and 

 its climatic effect. He mentioned many localities where planting could he 

 carried out successfully and with profit. He also drew attention to the 

 large sand-dunes which might he advantageously fixed by planting. 



Mr. Govett did not think the land at Taupo, mentioned by the author, worth grow- 

 ing trees on — the expense would be too great. 



The Eev. Mr. Ottway would like to know whether the gum-tree really did impoverish 

 the groimd to the extent supposed. He was inclined rather to think that, owing to their 

 rapid growth, they exhausted the soil, thereby retarding the growth of other trees, but 

 that they did not injure the soil. 



Mr. Travers gave an interesting account of forestry generally, and referred to the 

 successful manner in which the sand-dunes in France had been protected by planting, and 

 how, among other things, the vines succeeded well in this sand ; and he saw no reason 

 why this plant should not do well here under similar circumstances, and a large industry 

 be created. He pointed out how land suffered from the wholesale destruction of our bush, 

 which should be put a stop to. Large tracts of land in France were laid waste from this 

 cause, the floods which followed doing considerable damage. It is due to the clearing of 

 the bush that the Hutt Elver is so often flooded. 



Mr. Kii-k thought the paper was of great value. It was both suggestive and practical. 

 The evil results referred to might be seen in several localities near WeUington, where the 

 hills, having been denuded of trees, now carry a scanty crop of grass, with frequent bare 

 places. Had a patch of bush been left on the upper portion of the hill, the grass on the 

 lower portion would have been much more luxuriant and suffer less during dry weather, 

 as the rain would have been stored in the humus amongst the trees, and gradually given 

 off for the benefit of the lower portion, instead of rushing away in a flood. With regard 

 to the suggestion of planting portions of the Taupo Plain, he considered that it would be 

 preferable to sow them with some of the Australian Acacias, more valued for their bark, 

 such as A. decurrens and A. pycuansha. Large quantities of mimosa bark are imported 

 annually, and there is a constant market at remunerative prices. In Victoria, Acacia 

 plantations are said to yield a yearly profit of £5 per acre. He agreed with the author as 

 to the desirability of fixing our coastal-sands, but should object to his proposition to sow 

 furze. The subject had been copiously treated in the sixth volume of the Transactions of 

 the New Zealand Institute. Perhaps the best plan for ordinary situations would be to 

 sow seeds of deep-rooting Lupins, Pinus austriaca, P. insignis, etc., with barley and 

 creeping-rooted grasses, but it would be necessary to cover the sown surface with light 

 bush, in order to keep the seeds from being blown away. The barley would germinate 

 quickly, and at once fix the surface to a certain" extent, so that by the time it died away 

 the ordinary grasses would have become well rooted. 



Mr. Maxwell said that there were many localities where the flow of sand was so great 

 that no planting could possibly be carried out ; — it is only in particular localities where it 

 would succeed. Only certain kinds of the pumice at Taupo would carry vegetation. 



2. " On the Doctrine of Mind-Stuff," by F. W. Frankland. {Transac- 

 tions, p. 205.) 



On the motion of Dr. Kemp, seconded by Mr. Maxwell, the discussion on this paper 

 was postponed until a future meeting, to give members an opportunity of reading it care- 

 fully. 



