DAY'S BAY BUSH

Evening Post, Volume XCIX, Issue 78, 1 April 1920, Page 8

DAY'S BAY BUSH

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir,—Referring again to Sir David tutchiiis's proposal to cut the bush into locks, a correspondent under the name i: "Efficiency" suggests that the felled .-.'es along the lines of 'sub-division could ;\ cut into firewood. How would the -•ewood be got' out, even, if sledge tracks

ore cut? It would cause further- de-. traction. As to my statement that forign forests are mostly pine, I still, assert that it is so. 1 never knew before that the New Zealand class of forest, a forest proper, is one of the commonest ih the world; it occurs in (Wery. ; quarter of the globe, and has long been under systematic and successful fire protection." The only forest* that are ■without pines to any great extent are in South America and Australia. In Queensland there' ig: a kauri not unlike ours. Will "Efficiency" kindly state i where the countries are? Is ".Efficiency" one of the judges that he 6ays are condemning Mr. M'Kenzie and Jir. Dick for their mode of fire ■protection ? Will h© kindly inform the public where he acquired his knowledge? If the writer who signed his name as "Conifer," which, by I the way, is a' very common one in forest trees, will please read my letter again, and, inform me in which part of it I state that "the log was at J.Chanda.llah," I will feel, obliged. I regret I cannot understand that Sir David, when alluding to the cutting of saplinge; meant Khandallah. •■■'■. ' :• .

, I do not agree altogether with. Mr.' M'Kenzie in his selection of fire-resisting plank.- The "Konini" he mentions is the Maori name of the berry of the largest of our native fuchsias. The scientific name is "Fucshia, excorticate," Maroi name Kotukutuku. This tree Ekes, a moist position, and shelter, besides -i& partly deciduous, and also gets veiy scraggy when exposed to the wind, as it would be where proposed to be planted, and does not grow in poor dry soil. Tho wattle may be very well in its way, but is not suitable ; it would 6oon suffer from tho wind. Another objection to the wattle, and also to the proposal to plant imported trees, is that tho busb theio being of native trees and shrubs only, is 'to be kept as such; the same as to Wilton's Bush.

It is all very well, the track that is now being formed for &c protection. It appears that there ia a lot of gorse growing on portion of it, and alongside. It is no use cutting down this gorsoj it wants to be thoroughly rooted out, or it .will come up thicker than ever. Besides, it it hae flowered, the ground will be full of seed. ■ .

I adhere to my suggestion, that tbo best and only secure! mode of firo protection is the planting of a belt of native shrubs such as the five fingers (Panax arboreum), coprosmas of sorts, the \vino berry (Aristotelia racernosa), the karaka (Corynocarpus loevigata), the kohe kohe (Dysoxylum spectabile), the ngaio (Myo porum loetum), the akeake (Dodonea viscosa), the houhere (Hoheria populuea), commonly known as lace bark, the matipos (Pittosporums) of various sorts, and koromiko (Veronicas), the largergrowing species. All theße are easily raised from seeds, and in many places young plants could be procurable. All are ornamental, many of them free-flow-ering, and seed-bearing, but the greatest advantage is that of being almost unburnable.

Not only could the fire "portion bo planted as suggested, but all other bare portions. The main gully, through which runs the only stream, in places suitable! should be planted with various kinds of tree and other ferns, also the nikau palm (Phopalostylis sapida). A great many other genera and species of the shrubby and herbaceous sorts could be planted, so that in time more of a New Zealand botanical garden could bo made. Why don't the Day's Bay settlers move a little more in this matter? If the above suggestions as to planting for fire protection were carried out, I do not think there would be any danger from fires, except those wilfully 6tartod.—l am, etc., H. H. TBAVBRS.