FARM SHELTER

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 242, 9 July 1938, Page 7 (Supplement)

FARM SHELTER

Boxthorn And Barberry

In Taranaki

The Taranaki landscape has a character all its-own, on account of the excellent hedges of boxthorn and barberry that abound there. Seeing so little of these elsewhere gives one an impression that these plants will not do well in other provinces.

But observations during recent months have proved otherwise; . There are excellent boxthorn hedges near Levin, a district which rather resembled Taranaki.

. But on a recent Hawke’s Bay trip, in another' type of country altogether, isolated boxthorn and . barberry were seen growing lustily in such varied situations as the Napier harbour reclamation swamp and the >ights of Norsewood. It was invariably in odd clumps only, until .out hear I’aki I’aki. There on the Havelock North angle road, was a farm well hedged in barberry, one, to judge from the drains about it, that was of a rather damp soil. This farm was really a model for good shelter.

Why are these hedges so prominent in Taranaki and not elsewhere? Did Taranaki receive in pioneer days an influx of settlers from some Home country where hedges were the mode? That appears a possible explanation. If some Taranaki reader could provide enlightenment, his information would be apPXf ('Jilted. Many other districts have just as great a need for this fine shelter, Taranaki has no monopoly of wind and storms and cold. Think, too, of the great value of shelter that provides a free fence.