STRUGGLE FOR LIFE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 18084, 2 June 1923, Page 9

STRUGGLE FOR LIFE.

NATURE'S COMMUNITIES. INTERESTING LECTURE IN TIMARU. Not only in the life of the human community is there a dire struggle for existence, but in the community of the forest and of the grasses is the principle of the survival of the fittest the rule of life. This was the theme of a scholarly and . edifying lecture delivered last night in the Y.M.C.A. by Mr C. E. Fowerakcr, of Canterbury College, under the auspices of the Philosophical Institute. iUr C. H. Tripp presided over a representative attendance and suitably introduced the lecturer, who, he remarked, had been through the war, and on his return had taken up the, study and mis : now a lecturer at Canterbury College. | Mr Foweraker took liis audience on a i beautifully illustrated trip across Westland, thence by Arthur’s Pass and down the valley of the Cass River, to the Sugar-Loaf, just behind Christchurch, exploring en route the depths of the pine, beech, and mountain forests, and , examining minutely the make-up of j grass lands. In Westland the prevailing type of forest was rain forest, which depended for its existence on copious I rains. He showed how the landscape from the west to the east coast varied in its sylvan and grass coating to the wetness or otherwise of the habitat, and described in detail the make-up of the various situations. A rimu forest was a good example of a rain forest. There was a tier of high pines forming the roof of the forest, then .there were the broadleaf trees forming sub-strata. Such was followed lower down by a tier of shrubs, filling in the spaces between the trees, and terminating with the forest floor of fern, moss and grasses. The forest was a community in which no space was lost, and in which every use was made of light, soil, moisture. There was an everlasting struggle on the part of shrubs and small trees to survive, while some rf the plants on the floor were helped and saved by others more robust. The forest floor played a very part in the community. There was generally a wealth of ferns and mosses, which formed a seed bed for the growin. of the other members of the. community. Different forests had different floors. Tho white pine, for instance, lined “damp feet”; totara preferred river flats; and tho floors of mmfi forest varied accordingly, while the interiors also varied. - , ... ~ The lecturer dealt in detail wrap the various types of forest characteristic'or Westland', illustrating also that, while some plants and trees were supported bv others in the. fight for existence, there were also parasites, such as red • mistletoe. Mr Foweraker also /illustrated the regeneration after burning in ; various conditions of forest flooring, and * passed on to deal with grasses, showing how they, too, varied areoromg to habitat. In some places plants luul Uyi catching propensities in localities where nitrogenous food was scarce; and tho lecturer traced the history of the j grasses, showing how hare shingle ! gradually filled up and grassed. 'The ! first things to form were mat plants, and in this respect the vegetable sneep was one of the moijt. remarkable, plants in the world. About the mat plants a few leaves and. dust began to gather. 1 which formed a seed bod for little, delicate plants. On the bare, shingle ureas a sequence of plaids was the lorerunner, or pioneer, which innned substrata for other piculs to got a fooling. The lecturer concluded a most inst ructive ami interesting address, which was illustrated by about. MU slides, by dcaliijir svitli the varied habitat on innuii-i-nid’i sides He also conveyed the thanks president of the IMulornnhienl Institute to Mr Tripp and all who assisted him in the. a rram/ement ol ertures under tho auspices o! t.ue Instiluto , for their ini crest. Several questions were asked, and the ireeliw’' closed with a hoariv vole ol t'end's 'io Mr Foweraker. Tim laulem was manipulated by Mr Havelock Vvi!I liams. jjl | | F,o- Broiiebi.il Coughs, lake | [Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure.