18 
THE NEW ZEALAND CLIMATE. 
In extreme contrast with this great central region, western Tasmania and 
parts of north-eastern Queensland have a rainfall of 80 to 100 inches. In cool 
Tasmania the result is a dense forest of beech ( Fagus) with scattered taxads; m 
warm Queensland a tropical rain-forest in which flourish such genera as Flinder- 
sia, Cedrela, and Castanospermum. From the wetter and denser parts of these 
forests the eucalypts are partially or wholly excluded by their incapacity to 
regenerate on a heavily shaded forest floor. 
The “Brush” and “Scrub” forests of the eastern mainland are intermediate 
in character. A typical “Brush” forest consists of closely mingled shrubs and small 
trees of many genera, with thinly scattered trees of larger dimensions lising above 
the general mass of vegetation. The Indian word for similar forests is jungle . 
In Queensland, according to Maiden, the word Scrub is used in the jungle sense 
instead of “Brush”; while in New South Wales it is especially applied to the 
Callitris (cypress pine) and Acacia (wattle) thickets. 
CLIMATIC CONDITIONS IN NEW ZEALAND. 
Though relatively to Australia only a small country, New Zealand also pre¬ 
sents great diversity m its physical and thermal conditions. It stietches fiom 
south to north nearly 1,000 miles, and each of its main Islands has plains, 
uplands, and lofty mountains. It thus has climatic conditions due to latitude and 
climatic conditions due to altitude and contour of the land. Like Tasmania, our 
South Island has a heavy rainfall on the west and a lighter rainfall on the east. 
Central Otago has less than 20 inches of rain per annum, but enjoys compensating 
advantages. Other parts of Otago and parts of Canterbury have a little less 
than 30 inches. But, speaking generally, we may say that in both Islands rainfall 
and soil moisture are ample for successful forestry. Coastlines where tree planting 
requires special knowledge and skill are extensive. Lfnlike Australia, New Zea¬ 
land has no tropical region, and no great riverless area where vegetation has to 
adapt itself to very high summer temperatures and a very low average amount 
of moisture. We cannot expect ever to cultivate for economic purposes strictly 
tropical species from northern Australia. With dry country species our planting 
will for some years be experimental and limited. The very tender sub-tropical 
species will probably not flourish anywhere south of about latitude 38, and north 
of that only in sheltered and almost frostless areas. Hardy sub-tropical species 
will extend over the warm lowlands of the North Island, to northern areas in 
Marlborough and Nelson, and to a small extent to Banks Peninsula. Temperate 
country species will occupy our North Island uplands and will spread down into 
genial areas of Canterbury and Otago. Sub-alpine species will rise to higher alti¬ 
tudes in the north and extend their range to lowlands in the far south. For 
Westland with its heavy rainfall we must look to the species that flourish and give 
best results in western Tasmania or in well watered parts of Victoria. 
WRONG DISTRIBUTION OF SPECIES. 
In the past we have too often disregarded these climatic restrictions. Warm 
country trees have been planted in cold districts, and cold country trees in warm 
districts. In both cases we have subjected our trees to a struggle against 
