NATURALISTS’ FIELD CLUB

Evening Star, Issue 21092, 3 May 1932, Page 12

NATURALISTS’ FIELD CLUB

1 PLANT HUNTING IN NEW ZEALAND ’ There was a good attendance at the meeting of the above club held last evening, wdien Mr A. W. Anderson lectured on ‘Plant Hunting in New Zealand.’ In opening, the lecturer said the fact that since historical records were kept no kind of staple food had been found entirely new to the human family showed tlie groat interest man must have taken in plant life before the dawn of history. Man’s first interest in plants was strictly economic, but as he developed bis thoughts began to rise above their food value, and so be gradually took an interest in those that gave pleasure to the eye. The history of the “ Kaka Beak” shows that the Maoris had reached this stage of culture when Europeans first came to New Zealand. This plant was so very different from any other New Zealand plant that the early botanists, who were unable to find it growing wild, were convinced that it must have been brought from some other country. It was now believed that this plant was almost extinct when the Maoris arrived in this country, and being attracted by its rarity and the brilliance of its scarlet flowers, they grew it near their villages. It was now found in a somi-wild state near the sites of old deserted villages on the east coast of the North Island. There seemed little doubt this was tho only plant of no economic value grown by these primitive people. It was not until the 18th and 19th centuries that plant hunting came into its own. The tales told by mariners and travellers of the wonders of plant life in distant lands bred the fashion of growing wonderful collections of orchids and tropical plants in the gardens of Europe, and later the craze for sub-tropical bedding. These fashions in gardening meant that the tropics and sub-tropics were combed for suitable material. Towards the end of last century a natural type of gardening sprang up, and it was only since that time that the many thousands of hardy plants had become generally known. As the science of botany bad become popularised tho gardening public had developed an admiration for individual specimens rather than mass-groupings, and that was one of the reasons why shrubs and alpines were so eagerly sought after at the present time. This interest meant that every country was being Scoured for suitable material, and that the people ou the spot were waking up to the beauty of the plants growing naturally around them. Thus people in each .and every land were beginning to realise that the plants of their own country were as beautiful as those of any other; that they had an individuality all their own; and that they must bo protected and preserved for future generations to enjoy. This movement began, as far as the lecturer could discover, in. South Africa about twelve years ago. ' The time was coming when New Zealand, with its wonderful scenic attractions, would be one of the chief tourist playgrounds of the Southern Hemisphere. It should be an obvious truth that these tourists would be interested in our parks and gardens; they would expect these gardens to be characteristic of the country and not mere copies of those of Europe and America, featuring the same “ latest novelties.” This was where our native plants came in. At the present time almost the only people interested in the native section of tho Botanic Gardens were overseas tmfrists. There was another reason why we must now be interested in our native plants. Now that deer and rabbits bad such a firm foothold in the hack country it was only a matter of time before many species would be exterminated, and, unless they were grown in our gardens, they would be lost for ever. Mr Anderson then showed on the screen a large number of very beautiful slides of our native plants and gave many practical hints as to how these plants might be collected and successfully grown. A very hearty vote of thanks was accorded Mr Anderson for his interesting lecture. Interesting exhibits included specimens of fossil fern and fossil wood from Southland brought by Mr Nosbit, and the gizzard stones of crayfish often found in creeks round Dunedin; also a photograph of a fingered starfish of Lsin spread taken by Miss Madkie at Kuri Bush.