THE AGE OF OUR TREES.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 1969, 27 April 1875, Page 4

THE AGE OF OUR TREES.

The following interesting letter appears ift the Southland News s—

Many settlers Hare a vague belief that this their adopted country is not long emerged out of the waters, and that Captain Cook might have sailed in places .that are at the present time covered with bush, swamps, &c. In travelling on many parts of the coast line of this island, I have been Made aware how foolish was the idea, and surprised at the great age of the trees that are now growing in channel beds that of old have formed the estuaries of large xivers, and are now not over 4ft. from the action of the tide. With your permission I shall give the probable age, and other characteristics, of some of the trees, especially those that are chiefly utilised for building purposes. The white pine is the most rapid grower, and softest and moat flexible of the N"«w Zealand trees. After careful examination of its ligneous rings, I have come to the conclusion that it addi, while in a healthy state, ab»ut lin. to its diameter in seven years, although only in its infant state—that is, during the first 70 or 80 years of its existence—it does not add lin. of diameter in from 10 to 12 years. It is not uncommon to find may medium-sized trees of this sort upwards of 500 years of age. The totara and red pin© are of much slower growth, and, as near as I can ascertain, while in a healthy state, they do not add lin. of diameter in 12 years, and it would be no extreme exception to point out many that have attained 1,000 years of age. The black pine i« still of a slower growth, and I am of opinion that its giants measure more time than any tree in our forests— certainly much more than the aforementioned sorts. I have carefully counted 40 ligneous rings to the inch on one that was in a healthy state, and, as gardeners

would say, a strong grower. Having a diameter of 6ft., it gave its age as upwards of 1,500 years, with no signs of decay, and had it not been for the public works scheme it might have stood the weather and the breeze as many years more. When we find these pines growing out of and amidst the debris of others that have been for ages mouldering into dust, it gives a faint conception of how very little change has happened in our coast line since the commencement of the Christian era. I have been very much surprised at the sudden contraction of the ligneous rings over periods of 10 and 12 years in all stages of growth, and the expansion of the same for periods of less —much less—number of years. Here is a query : nay, a history of our climate for over 1,000 years. Meteorologists may err, almanacs are but of yesterday, but here we have Nature's own unerring handwriting, and she declares as clear as a sunbeam that cold bleak winds have swept along our coast line and bent sapling and giant tree long previous to the Anglo-Saxon race. I cannot forbear giving you one other peculiarity—it is less or more in all trees—i.e., a daguerreotype of the sun centred in the heart of w^od. It is most clearly seen in the black pine and totara ; and though I cannot flatter myself that I have ever seen a true likeness on canvas, yet I am vain to believe I could point out many..a likeness as it is mirrored of an artist's attention. Accept thesa few remarks from your bush correspondent, Reklaw. •