Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 17.djvu/511

NEW ZEALAND 469 although that growth greatly impedes the progress of settlement. From Lake Taupo towards the Bay of Plenty the surface soil is derived from rocks of a highly siliceous character, and large areas are covered with little else than loose friable pumice-stone. On the eastern side of the slate range which extends through the North Island, the surface is generally formed of clay marl and calcareous rocks ; in the valleys there are shingle deposits from the back ranges, with occasional areas of fertile alluvium of considerable extent. The latter portions of the district are adapted for agricul ture, and the remainder is very fine pastoral land. In the South Island the chief agricultural areas are in the vicinity of the eastern coast, but there are also small areas fitted for agriculture in the interior in the vicinity of the lake districts. The alluvial soils of the lower part of the Canterbury plains and of Southland are re markably fertile. Scarcely less important are the low rolling downs formed by the calcareous rocks of the Tertiary formation which skirt the higher mountain masses, and often are improved by the disintegration of interspersed basaltic rocks. On the western side of the South Island, from the close vicinity of the mountain ranges, there are comparatively small areas of good alluvial soil, but these are made very fertile by the wetness of the climate. 1 Fauna. New Zealand is singular in the absence of all indigenous land mammals except two small kinds of bat, and a rat which has already disappeared. A native dog is supposed to have been intro duced by the natives on their original migration. There are no snakes. A few lizards are found, but they are harmless, though held in superstitious terror by the natives. A peculiar species of frog exists, but it is very rare. Insect life is not nearly so abundant as in Europe, though bloodthirsty sand-flies swarm on the sea-shore, and mosquitoes in the bush. There are between four and five hundred species of molluscs. Seals are numerous on some parts of the coast. New Zealand is also remarkable for its wingless birds, living and extinct. There are four species of Apteryx, or Knvi (q.v, ), without wings and tail-feathers, and a little larger than a hen ; they have short legs, snipe-bills, and bodies covered with long, brown feathers like hair. The gigantic wingless bird called the Moa (see DIXOKNIS) has been long extinct. The tradition of the natives is that their ancestors found these birds living, and hunted them for food till they exterminated them. 2 The peculiar nature of the New Zealand fauna has given rise to much scientific speculation, and, in the opinion of able writers, points to a continental period as the condition of the country in remote ages, and to subsequent partial subsidence and partial elevation. The discovery and colonization of the country have completely changed the character of its animal life. Captain Cook introduced the English dog and the pig. Colonists have brought all kinds of domestic animals. Game and small birds have been imported and acclimatized ; rabbits have become a formidable nuisance in many districts. Flora. There are about one thousand species of flowering plants, of which about three-fourths are endemic. Most of those not peculiar to the country are Australian ; others are South- American, European, Antarctic ; and some have Polynesian affinities. Ferns and other cryptogamic plants are in great variety and abundance. There are a few indigenous plants and fruits used as food. Phormium tcnax, or the New Zealand hemp, is a common and most useful plant, Forests covering from 11,000,000 to 12,000,000 acres are a characteristic feature in New Zealand vegetation. Much of the timber is of great value for building and for constructive works (see vol. ix. p. 407). The area of forest land is rapidly diminishing, and the rate of decrease in some large forests has been estimated at 4 per cent, per annum. The rapid decrease is stated to be due to reckless and wasteful consumption of the best timber without regard to the conservation of the young trees, to fires, and to other avoidable causes. The following return, compiled from a report, in 1875, by Professor Kirk, F. L. S., on New Zealand timbers, specifies those of great durability, and adapted for general building purposes and for constructive works, &c. : 1 In 1880 Messrs S. Grant and J. S. Foster, delegates to New Zealand from the tenant farmers of Lincolnshire, travelled over and inspected the chief agricultural di>tricts in both islands. Their impression was, as stated in their report, that the soil is, as a rule, much lighter than farmers in England are accustomed to work, and that it does not require half the working that English land does. One double-furrow plough, they say, will turn up about 18 acres a week. They saw very little really heavy clay-land in the colony, and such soil, they think, will not be worth cultivating for some time to come. "The labour required to work it," they write, " is far too great, and there are no frosts in winter sufficient to pulverize it, while it is perfectly possible to consolidate any soil which may be a little too light by stocking it sufficiently heavily." And they add But of one thing we are certain, that, whatever the quality of the soil, there were splendid crops on it in almost every part of the country that we saw." 2 Dr Duller, in his Manual of the Birds of New Zealand (1882), gives one hundred and seventy-six species, belonging to the Accipitres, Pa$seres,Scansores, Cohimbx, Gallinx, "struthiones, Grallte, and Anscres. Mr W. T. L. Travers, F.L.S., in a paper read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, on October 21, 1882, states that out of 88 species 18 are peculiar to both islands, 8 to both islands and the Chathams, 3 to both islands and the Aucklands, 22 to New Zealand and habitats outside, 9 to the Xoith Island, 1C to the Soutli Island, 6 to the Chathams, 2 to the Aucklands. 1 to the North Island and the Chathams, 2 to the South Island and the Chathams, and 1 to all. Name. Uses. Height and Diameter. Kauri (Dammara aiis- Ships, houses, Ac. 120tolGOft.; 5 to 12 ft. traUt). Totara (Podocarpns To- Piles, sleepers, &c. 40 to 70 ft. ; 4 to C ft. tarra). Matai (Podocarpns spi- Piles, sleepers, &c. 50 to 70 ft. ; 2 to 4 ft. cata). Kawaka (Libocedrus Fencing, cabinet work. CO to 100 ft. ; 3 to 5 ft. Doniana). Pahautea (Libocedrus Fencing, bridges. 60 to 80 ft. ; 2 to 3 ft. Bidwillii). Tanekaha (Phyllocladus trichomonoides). Sleepers, planks, bridges. 50 to 60 ft.; 3ft. (max.). Manoao (Dacrydium Houses, piles. 30 to 40 f t. ; very durable. Colensoi). Dacrydium westlandi- Piles, bridges, &e. 40 to 50 ft.; 1 to 2 ft. cum. Dacrydium interme Piles, bridges, <fcc. 40 to 45 ft.; 1 to 2 ft. dium. Tawai (Fagus Henziesii). Handsome tree. Puriri ( VUex littoralit). Posts, piles, sleepers. 40 to 60 ft. ; 3 to 5 ft. Hututawhai (Fayus Posts, sleepers, bridges. 60 to 90 ft. ; 3 to 8 ft. fusca). Fohutukawa (.Ifrtro- Ships, dock gates, &c. Short trunk; massive sideros tomentosa). arms. Kata (Metrosideros ro- Ships, sleepers. CO to 100ft.; 5 to 12 ft. busta). Rata (Metrosideros Ships, tracks. 30 to 60 ft. ; 2 to 5 ft. lufida). Rawiri (Leptotpermum Wharves, marine works. 40 to 50 ft. ; 1 to 2 ft. ericoides). Kowhai (Sophora tet- Piles, sleepers. raptera). 3 Mairc-raunui (O ea ape- Valuable, but little known. 50 to 70 ft. ; 2 to 4 ft. tala). Muire-tawhakc (Eityenia Fencing, piles, &c. About 40 ft. ; 1 to 2 ft. rnaire). There are many other kinds of trees which are less durable, but of considerable value. Some have barks largely used for tanning purposes. Kauri gum, a valuable product of the kauri tree, is found in the soil on the sites of old kauri forests, and at the base of growing trees. It is much used in Europe and America as a base, instead of gum mastic, for fine varnishes, and for other pur poses. There are now many flourishing plantations of English and foreign trees. The New Zealand flora, like the fauna, has been cited in support of the theory of the remote continental period. Sir Joseph Hooker, in his Introductory Essay, wrote that the botanical relationship of the New Zealand flora is not to be accounted for by any theory of transport or variation, but that it is agreeable to the hypothesis of all being members of a once more extensive flora, which has been broken up by geological and climatic causes. The following comparative table, which does not include native Agri- cultivations, shows the rapid and continuous development of agri- culture, culture in New Zealand during the last twelve years : Acres under A,cres under all kinds Estimated Population. Numb .r of Holdings. under Grain Ciops. Green and Other Crops, excluding Sown Grasses. V Crop, including Sown Grasses; and of Land broken up, lut not under Crop. 1872 266,936 Xot given. 2CI.210 45,355 1,226,222 1877 308,938 18,750 320,011 160,100 2,940,711 1882 500,663 26,298 638,910 363,573 5,189.104 1883 509,052 27,352 738,822 394,473 5,651,255 In 1880 the estimated average produce of wheat per acre was 28 bushels, in 1881 25 bushels, in 1882 22| bushels, and in 1883 26g bushels. The estimated average of oats was 36^ bushels to the acre in 1880, 32 bushels in 1881, 22 J bushels in 1882, and nearly 33 bushels in 1883. Barley was estimated in 1880 at 30J bushels to the acre, in 1881 at 26, in 1882 at 22^. and in 1883 at 26. Potatoes were estimated to produce 4f tons to the acre in 1880, in 1881 5 tons, in 1882 5 tons 17 cwts., and in 1883 5 tons 2 cwts. The number of horses in 1881 was 161,736, having doubled since 1871. The number of cattle increased during the same ten years from 436,592 to 698,637, and sheep from 9,700,629 to 12,985,085. The yearly production of butter in 1881 was 8,453,815 ft, and of cheese 3,178,694 lb. The produce of wool will be stated in the summary of exports for 1882. Pigs, goats, and poultry abound. Except eels and a few small fishes of little worth, there are no Fisheries, indigenous fish in the rivers. Dr Hector states that thirty-three kinds of sea fish are used as food. Among the constant residents on the coast or on parts of it, he names hapuku, tarakihi, trevally, moki, aua, rock cod, wrasse, flounder, snapper, mullet, gurnet, trumpeter, butter fish, and red cod. Of the edible fish irregu larly visiting the coast, much the largest number come from warmer latitudes, namely, the frost fish, barracouta, Norse mackerel, king fish, dory, waichou, mackerel, and gar fish. He adds that of 140 species of fish found in New Zealand 67 species are believed to be peculiar to New Zealand, 75 are common to Australia and 3 Varies from shrub to tree 30 to 10 ft. high, with trunk 1 to 3 ft, diameter.