EFFECTS OF THE HEAT

Taranaki Daily News, 8 March 1935, Page 11

EFFECTS OF THE HEAT

UNUSUAL SEEDING OF PLANTS.

INSECT LIFE PROPAGATED.

The exceptional summer has been instrumental in the excessive propagation of many branches of nature. There is an abundance of seeds on many varieties .of plant life, usually shy of seeding, comparatively rare insects have been found in plenty, and birds have had a successful season. , , With regard to the developing of seeds, one New Plymouth resident states that he has grown clianthus dampuri or Sturtz pea, a beautiful black and red beaked-shaped flower plant of crawling habits and a native of Western. Australia, for several years, each time importing seed. This year, however, he has many well-filled pods. on several plants and hopes to raise his plants from these next year. . Common house flies have been exceptionally annoying during the summer, and the last few days of hot weather have brought them around in hundreds. White butterflies have also benefited by . the heat. Mr. W. W. Smith, well known as a naturalist, states that he has ■ heard of eight occasions when these pests have been seen in large swarms. ‘‘When they find their supplies of tenance running low,” he said, they gather, probably after the exchange, of some signal, in the evenings, often flying several miles to. ‘pastures new. Several exceptionally large flights of goldfinches have taken up quarters at New Plymouth, one of them spending each fine evening in the dead branches of a gum tree in Lemon Street. Spar-

rows and other imported birds are plentiful and in good condition. Probably another result of the unusual conditions is the epidemic of “summer sickness” which has been prevalent, in Taranaki recently.