THE BOTANICAL HILL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIV, Issue LIV, 21 February 1920, Page 2

THE BOTANICAL HILL.

(To the Editor.) Yetlre «a-go, residents ami visitors wei'e reWfairded by getting delightful ■ views from the Hill, but, alas, there is little to justify the climb nowadays. Arrived at- the top, the view in almost every direction is shut out by an unsightly growth of pine and fir. The face of the HiU itself is a scene of dreariness and desolation, and. much of what used to be grassed slopes are now an unsightly mass of pine-needles, fallen, branches, with trees in every stage oi ■ collapse 'find decay, it is a miracle that everything wag not burnt out dining the late dry weather. (It might even have been the best thing possible!) 1 believe that the City Council have promised that i iat* tors shall, be .put in, 'order, and certainly if those pines which bear a felliugmark are got out, some good will result, but the work will only be but haH’done if l every pine, fir and -.acrocarpa is not cut out entirely. A general cleaning up would then allow the grass to come again, and deciduous trees, such as oaks, limes, silver Hiv.i----«s; etc., could bo put iu forthwith. About the middle of the Hill th y.w is ia nice litttle glade of oaks etc. witn a good sward of grass right up v, the* tree stems, the whole forming a sharp cohtrast with the ugliness ekewheie prevailing. The inferior acacia growth should also be cut out, and the innsuckcring types, such as the u u nubs, pycantha, and bailiand p’-mtnl instead. These would give ,a succession Of beautify flowering growth extending over a considerable period of the year, and are evergreens. On© hoars that scarcity of labour lias hitherto prevented work 'on the Hill, and doubtless there whs formerly some truth in this. I question, however, if it applies equally now, as. I noticed lately Borough employees cutting out a few harmless and scarcely noticeable weeds on the road .side, work that conidi well have given way to that which is obviously more urgent.. Why not call for volunteers, and such as would bo willing to assist with axe and saw for say even 'a few hours daily I think there would bo some who would respond to this. and thus materially help, working say under the direction of those experienced and duly authorised. Doubtless there would be protests and lamentations on the part of those who. in their ignorance of forestry, think the present state of things should remain, indefinitely, and. are unable torealise the colossa, mistoke made in the original planting of giant types of the conifera. Most likely few of- those °biectin.g have been up the Hill in recent years or are aware of the existing state of things. W itH due ca-jo exercised in the work, it should he possible, bv cutting the tree stems- in to .suitable lengths, to got them down on to the level: without damage to surroundings, and when the present high price of timber is considered, there should be a- profit on the millable wood l alone, debris and waste timber being either burnt in , fiitn, along with the other, rubbish, or sold to ratepayers for firewood. Finally lot rs cease to mystify strangers by the use of the term “Zig Zag' , which iboth ugly and Poetically all lulls are ascended by the same right and left method of track. I am, etc. QuERELS.