164 NATIVE FOREST AND PLANTATIONS OF INTRODUCED TREES. 
pine in New Zealand has had an unfortunate effect in distorting the forest 
policy of New Zealand. It will scarcely be credited that some people, 
seeing the rapid growth of the Insignis-pine, have reconciled themselves 
to the destruction of the Kauri forests—viz., to destroying magnificent 
torests of the finest timber-tree in the world for risky and costly planta- 
tions of a tree that is only worth cutting when there is nothing better at 
hand. Says the Hon. D. Buddo, ‘‘I take great exception to growing 
Pinus imsignis for profit. I have some in the North Island—Hawke’s 
Bay—4 ft. diameter and 120 ft. high, I can’t give away; it is a poor 
timber for any purpose.’’ 
Nevertheless, taken for what it is worth, the growth of Insignis-pine 
is undoubtedly one of the assets of forestry in the Southern Hemisphere. 
Handled by foresters 1t produces a timber good enough for all the ordi- 
nary purposes for which coniferous (deal) timber is used, and it takes an 
antiseptic so easily that it becomes capable of a very extended use. 
According as grown it may resemble Poplar-wood or Pitch-pine! 
The development that this nearly extinct Californian Pine has taken 
in the Southern Hemisphere seems to be due to the fact that as a planted 
tree it is generally put on good soil, and that it responds marvellously 
to favourable conditions, It will show lin. rings of growth both in 
its old native and in its new habitats. Mr. Waller, who went recently 
from New Zealand to San Francisco, made at my request special inquiries 
into the conditions of growth of Insignis-pine in its own country. He 
writes to me,— 
While in California I called on Mr. John McLaren at Golden Gate Park and 
saw the sand-drift there. I also spent a week at Pacific Grove (Montreal), where 
I met Professor Perce, the Botanist at Stanford University. He told me that 
the reason why Pinus radiata is so limited in natural distribution is due to its 
many natural enemies, fungus and grubs. It grows on poor white sand. and it 
is not nearly so luxuriant as in New Zealand, where it is planted on better soil 
and is free from enemies. It has been introduced to redeem the sand which was 
bad in Golden Gate Park, as well as in other places. I saw a photograph of the 
site of this park, and it was bare sand.’ Now it is a very beautiful ‘park. 
Thus the limitations of Insignis-pine in New Zealand for general 
planting purposes seem to be—(1) The summer rainfall and a fungus 
risk ; (2) its soil requirements; (3) its rather weak natural regeneration. 
STONE-PInE (Pinus pinea). 
_ That valuable tree of the Mediterranean, described in some detail 
in “‘ Australian Forestry,’’ found its way to Cape Town about 250 years 
ago. There, in the Mediterranean-like climate of its native habitat. it 
flourished better than I have seen it in Spain and Portugal. Noble 
avenues of Stone-pine trees led to the old Dutch farmhouses about Cape 
Town ; but about thirty years ago, in spite of the nearly rainless Cape 
summer, it was attacked by a fungus allied to the potato-blight which 
at once ruled out Stone-pine as a forest-tree. There are indications 
that the tree is gradually becoming able to withstand this pest, but it 
is doubtful if it will ever again be a tree hardy enough for forestry. 
In New Zealand it should find its place in every dry warm corner of 
the extra-tropical part of the Dominion. Tt grows fairly as far south 
as Blenheim. It is a valuable nut-tree. Near Valladolid I went over 
one of several factories where the nuts are shelled. It dealt with about 
1,000 tons per year, and the ghelled kernels fetch 
: £84 ton i 
Barcelona. In Spain valuable nuts and beautifully per ton in 
clean pasture go 
