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 

 remams the same ; and also the silt brought down dming 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 



