NATIVE FLORA CLUB MEETS

Chronicle (Levin), 7 October 1947, Page 8

NATIVE FLORA CLUB MEETS

ARRAN GEMENTS FOR DISPLAY A meeting of the Levin Native Flora Club was held repently, with Mr. I. D. Parsons presiding. Final arrangements were made for collecting and dispatching- specimens to Auckland for the club's display in the Cheeseman Memorial spring show of native flowers. Between 60 and 70 different specimens were subseauently sent, these comprising species occurring - among the sand dunes and hollows of the iocal beaches. Eight different plant associations were represented xrorn the sparse vegetation of the mobile outer dunes to the welldeveloped dune forest, and the varied vegetation of moist sand plains, heaths and coastal lagoons. With the aid of a map and plant specimens, Mr. W. H. Griffiths described, at the meeting, a motor • tour from which he - and Mrs. Griffiths _ had just returned. He gave brief descriptions of the ' various types of bush noticed along the way. The journey was up the Wanganui River Road to Raetihi, thence to National Park and Lake Taupo, where many oeautiful kowhai trees grow. In this region a plantation of 87,000 acres of pine trees was totally desrroyed hy fire the summer before last, but there are now myriads of little pine trees? forming a carpet three inches high.' After a visit to_ Rotorua a stop was made at Okataina, where the bush was beautiful and the birds very tame. The route followed was along the famous Hongi's track to Tauranga, where there is a tremendous whau tree at the Redoubt. At Te Puke the puriri trees . growing in the main street were a picturesque sight. From Te Puke the old coach road was followed to Mangawhero Gorge, then homewards via the Desert Road. A Piace of particular interest was the State Forest Arboretum at Whakarewarea where it was stated, New Zealand has the largest man-made forest in the world. The present mill, turning out 64,000 feet of timber per day, will need to be quadrupled to cope with the forest's output in a few years' time. In conclusion, Mr. Griffiths displayed various New Zeala'nd trees growing in pots. None were very large, and Mr. Griffiths pointed out that the greatest success in the transplanting of native trees was achieved by cfioosing very small trees, as these suffered no setback arid soon grew to the required size. Two specimens of miro, both the ,same height, demonstrated the pomt that small seedlings are the best. One very healthy little tree had been collpcted when very tiny; the other tree, obviously with no vitality, had been about six inches high when collected, and had never recovered after being moved. Mr. Griffiths pointed out the interest in watching the changing growth of the tiny trees, and the ease with which different species could be compared or contrasted with each other. Members and; friends are now looking forward to October 18 when Mr. A. W, B. Powell, of the Auckland Museum, is delivering a ffintern lecture in the Oddfe\lows'