122 NATURAL REGENERATION. 
grow without check ¢7// mulching-age (p. 133), when the danger of being 
smothered by ordinary ground herbage ceases with the mulehing, Th 
the course of a day a man will in this way space and transfer a large 
number of Kauri, Totara, or other seedlings. P 
Spacing may be used for extending the ‘‘groups’”’ of natural re- 
generation in the ‘‘ group *’ system (p. 79). There may be a great deal 
of spacing to be done in the cultivated forests of the future in New Zea- 
land. I have practised it for many years in South Africa, 
(8.) Tea-tree, or Manuka, 
Encourage the growth of Tea-tree (Leptospermum ericoides and L. 
scoparium) wherever this is abundant near old Kauri trees. Mr. Cheese- 
man, Dr, Cockayne, and other travellers in the Kauri forest are agreed 
as to the important function Tea-tree performs in acting as a nurse for 
Kauri. Keur (Virgilia capensis) performs the same function in South 
Atrica—the bois blancs of French forestry, in France, Tea-tree will 
generally come up after a fire. Its reproduction can be rendered certain 
by scattering a few Tea-tree bushes over the ground and firing theni. 
(9.) Cuttng-areas. 
Making the cowpes or cutting-areas in long thin strips. This is a 
common practice in Europe (see above, “‘ Sihlwald Forest,’’ p. 79, also 
‘“Group System,’’ p. 79); in fact, European forestry consists chiefly 
in arranging the cuttings so as to ensure natural regeneration. 
(10.) Preparing the Forest-floor for Seeding. 
The Forest Rangers would be on the lookout for good seed years of 
Kauri, Totara, &c,, and get the forest-floor ready against the fall of the 
seeds by grazing, brushing, hand-hoeing, pig-grazing, or fire. It would 
probably take several seed years before they got a complete natural 
regeneration, and in the end some planting or seed-sowing might be re- 
quired to complete it. The forester’s great chance is when the forest-floor 
is prepared for him by accidental fires. This fact stands out in strong 
relief when one goes over the strips of forest burnt at Waipoua in the 
great fire-year twenty years ago. I hope such another chance will never 
again be lost. 
There are exact records of the seeding years in forests under culti- 
vation, as in Europe, India, America, and Japan. There is a little 
seed every year; but the years of abundant seeding (glandée in the Oak 
and Beech forests of France) occur at intervals of two or three years. 
Kauri is. classed silviculturally as somewhat ‘‘ light-demanding,”’ so 
it may require the forest well opened for a seedling felling, and it will 
probably be found that Kauri can stand the covert being: taken off in 
one operation afterwards. Usually two are required. i 
THE TECHNIQUE OF NATURAL REGENERATION. 
eae ee of course, be found in the text-books.* The American 
nition of natural regeneration for the normal even-aged forest runs, 
ee ___, 



* . ‘ . j 
a Oe ison Circular, : Reproduction of Western Yellow-pine,’’ 1910, gives in 
ip He ce : e official instructions for the marking of a coupe or felling-area in @ 
rest of Ponderosa-pine, Douglas-fir, and others of the introduced trees grown in 
New Zealand; the first obj i 
3 ject being to sec :; . 
econ d to facilitate the milling of the timber. Teeeneration of the forest, the 
