THE NATIVE REECHES

Hokitika Guardian, 23 December 1921, Page 3

THE NATIVE REECHES

DU COCKAYNE’S DISCOVERY

DI'NKDIN, Dovomhor 20

|)r I’ocknviio has been studying grass lands ill tin- goldfields district in Otago Central for the Agricultural Department, with a. view' toward improving the pasturage of the back country. During such leisure time as Im had to spare fiom that work, of which he will submit a report to tile Minister of Agriculture, he continued certain nbs.wvations with regard to u discovery be made some months ago ill beech forests at Elfin Bay, Bake Wakitipu He informed a ‘Daily Times” reporter i,t that that he had found that instead of there being two species of beech. as hail been supposed there was considerable nei'cnilag of trees, both young and old, differing in many wavs from these two species. The theory put forward by Dr. Cockayne is that these peculiar trees are crosses

betwecen the red beech and the mountain heei'li. the former a tree of high economic value and the latter one whose timber is not nearly so durable. This discovery means that New Zea- j In ml beech forests will have to be ex--I,mined afresh ill the light of the new knowledge, since the timber value ol Dies,* hybrids must he different from that of the parents. Also it lias come , to light that, the red beech , as it w- j ears in New Zealand, is not one entity, blit most likely consists of distinct . races each breeding true and each j with its special value as timber, j Since his first discovery Dr Cockayne, I banks to the Director of Forestry. C up- ; tail. Ellis, has received specimens ol dies from all , ver the Dominion and his first conclusions are continued.

11 in recent visit to Queensland has added still further confirmation ol the hybrid theory, since on Sunday hist at Iwo be, rv since on Sunday last at tho Iwo Mile Creek he collected in one acre of , bush over ten forms ol beeches distinct ] from one. another, and not a lew altoigelhcr distinct from any others.' that I had been previously seen in New ZeaI l.md Tim import: iwo of the disco very ,','f hybrids ami distinct races of beeches ! is very -o-eat. since it sheds an entirely , new light on the composition of one of I the most, important economic tree communities in this country. On this knowledge, when it is made available : for tile forester, will depend the general management of the forest, the selection of* timlior, and so on. > & preliminary article by Or Cookayno ! on these geetU hybrids and races is to

appear in the New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, and a. fully illustrated paper on the question, both genetic and economic, will be prepared in due rnurso t>y Dr Cockayne and Mr Esmond Atkinson, of the Department of Agriculture.