THE FORESTS OF NEW ZEALAND.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VII, Issue 57, 6 March 1872, Page 2

THE FORESTS OF NEW ZEALAND.

"A Colonist" writes to the Australasian : — The forests of New Zealand are magnificent, and the traveller in his tour through the country from some elevated spot in his journey, often observes a sea of dense forest verdure covering the hills and valleys, and stretching far away on every side. The foliage, diversified with every tint and shade of color which the everlasting evergreen is capable of displaying, the dark green and glossy leaves of the karaka contrasting with the fair aspect of the yellow kowhai and the unvarying hue

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of the unfading evergreen, is occasionally relieved by the luxuriant scarlet flowers that group in clusters over the crooked stems and broad branches of the magnificent pohutukawa, while here and there appears some gigantic tree, conspicuous for its great size and height, having its lofty branches gathered together high in the air, and elevated far above the level of the surrounding woodland scenery, like the ancient feudal castle of some proud baron of the middle ages overlooking his sylvan domain from his greenwood tower or turret. This vast and boundless landscape of tree and foliage is distinguished for its sylvan sublimity and beauty, as well as for that aspect of profound repose which usually prevails in these woodland solitudes, at times so calm that not a leaf is stirring. Occasionally, however, when the wind blows, and the increasing gale freshens into tempest, and sweeping the hills and valleys, bursts with fury on the unprotected forests, then this scene of tranquility is changed into uproar and tumult, and the sea of verdure, lately so serene and placid, is now seen in wild commotion, waving and agitated like the surface of a lake in a storm, while the Tushing sound of the wind sweeping through the glades of the forest, and mingled with the crash and roar of falling trees, resounds like the peals of distant thunder. In some places the evergreen trees will be interwoven and matted together with wild vines and supple-jack in such a manner as to present the appearance of a wall of forest verdure, and the thickets of shrubs and wild flowers ore so dense as to be altogether impenetrable. The beauty of the ornamental trees and shrubs is not to be excelled, and their name is " legion j" they are all evergreen, and many of them flower, but except by a few people they are seldom seen, and at present are only found ia the forests and copses. No lawn or pleasure-ground should, however, be viewed as complete without the red or yellow kowhai, the pohutukawa, karaka, fern-tree, cabbagepalm, and phormium tenax, which is a beautiful plant in bloom. When a complete selection of these ornamental trees and shrubs are collected together and exposed in one view, universal admiration will be expressed at the result, as they cannot be surpassed either for beauty or variety in any country. The indigenous forest trees are of infinite variety, many of them growing to a great height, producing timber of excellent quality, well adapted for shipbuilding, aud house architecture, and supplying the best material for furniture and cabinet workmanship of every description. Formerly, before modern science had introduced metal masts in ship-building, the kauri spars of New Zealand were in great demand for the British navy. The timber trade of the colony, especially in the Province of Auckland, is still, however, not only of immense importance, but a growing and increasing branch of local industry, affording employment to a large population, and maintaining a numerous fleet of small coasting vessels. Connected witH the forests of New Zealand are the kauri gum deposits. Formerly, immense forests of kauri covered a large portion of the northern part of the North Island, which in course of time have been largely consumed by fire, and the resin or gum of the kauri in a liquid state, having previously descended annually for centuries to the roots ' of the trees deep in the ground, where it has remained buried for ages, and is now dug up in large quantities. This article as a varnish is in great demand, and is valuable as copal, extreme fine quality fetching as high as £120 per ton in the London market. For some years the kauri gum trade has been one of the most important and prosperous of our local industries, and as a source of wealth little inferior to a goldfield. A large native population is employed in digging gum, who are from their indigenous habits, pursuits, and local experience, very expert in perceiving where this undeveloped wealth is to be obtained, and are more dexterous than the settlers in digging it oat of the ground. A royalty of £2 per ton is frequently given for permission to dig gum on private property, and large tracts of land of a very inferior description as to quality of soil are now rendered valuable from the quantity of gum which they are supposed to contain. The quantity taken out of the ground in some places is so great as to appear marvellous, and some of the specimens are beautifully transparent and amber-colored. Except to a very limited extent, and for an inferior description of ornaments, the gum is not used for any purpose in the colony, and is only valuable as an article of export. The quantity exported from time to time is so great as to appear mysterious, but the sap or gum of the kauri descends annually in a liquid state under ihe bark of the healthy, living tree, and penetrating to the roots under ground, escapes from its original habitation and is lodged in the

earth, where it soon undergoes a change, and is, from the action of the cold ground, converted into gum. In this a continual supply of gum is in progress of formation, which cau never be exhausted until the forests cease to exist. It is, therefore, of great importance that forests of young kauri trees should be planted, in order to preserve a tree so valuable not for its timber only, but from the annual supply of gum which it produces. It is no exaggeration to state, that there are 5,000,000 of kauri trees growing, in a healthy condition, in our forests, and eaeh tree on an average will produce 21b. weight of guru annually, or 5,000 tons collectively, which, valued at £50 per ton, would amount to £250,000. It would thus appear that, from this source alone, a quarter of a million sterling is added to the wealth of the colony every year without any cost of production, anxiety, or labor on our part, and without in any way exhausting the source from whence such boundless wealth is derived.