The Wakaia valley contains 305 square miles of pastoral country. The surface consists of a terrace plain, of alluvial flats, and of low long ridges that flank the sides of the Garvie and Umbrella mountains. The lower part of this valley, from its dryness and the large extent of fine hill pasture, is especially well-adapted for sheep. Towards the head of the valley, where the flat part narrows into a mile wide, there is a tendency to wetness in the soil along the banks of the river; this circumstance, together with the fact of there being patches of manuka scrub on the ridges, render this part of the Wakaia best fitted for cattle run.

Agricultural country.—The low elevation of the Waiau valley naturally suggests its fitness for agricultural settlement. This, however, with the exception of the Waiau plain, is not the case. The flats on the west side of the Waiau are generally too shingly, and the country between the Takitimo mountains and the Waiau, too uneven for cultivation. Still there are several earthy spots, of a few hundred acres each, scattered pretty equally up and down in the valley, suitable for that purpose. Around Mount York there will be about 20,000 acres of alluvial soil, to the cultivation of which there is no natural hindrances. It lies principally towards the Manipori lake and up the banks of the Mararoa and Whitestone, and will be from 600 feet to 1000 feet above sea level.

The agricultural country lying into the Wakatipu Lake consists of about 10,000 acres at the head of the lake; a few hundred acres at the mouth of the Von; and 10,000 acres lying east of Frankton, the latter quantity consists of a terrace flat between Frankton and the Shotover; and of several alluvial flats between the Shotover and Arrow. The elevation above sea level will be from 800 to 1100 feet. This elevation in some situations would have a bleak effect, but any tendency that way, as regards this country, is counteracted by the high mountains that encircle it, for not only do they afford shelter, but the radiation of heat from them has at times, I believe, a very sensible effect on the increase of temperature; be that as it may, I have no doubt, taking the climate and fertility of the soils as they are, that either cereals or vegetables would, if properly attended to, grow well and arrive at full maturity.

The Wakaia.—The whole of the flat of this valley, including an area of 70 square miles, may be classed as agricultural land; the terrace plain, comprising one-half of it, would perhaps be too dry some seasons for cropping—to the other half, lying principally along the banks of the river, no such objection could be urged, some of it would require to be drained, for which there is plenty of fall.

Forests.—A reference to Table A will show that there are 950.2 square miles of forest: This belongs principally to the valleys of the Waiau and its tributaries, and consists of what is usually known (according to the Find) as Red, Black, and White Birch,* Red and Black Pine, and Totara. The Birch is much the most common tree of the forest; it was found to have a vertical range of at least 3400 feet, for it was seen a few feet above sea level, and then again it was found to be growing over a dip in the Hindley Ridge, at an elevation of 3400 feet above sea level. At the latter elevation the stems of the trees were of a zig-zag unsymmetrical form, and the general appearance of the trees was squat and stunted. The other sorts, viz., Black and Red Pine and Totara, were seen to be principally in the Dean Forest at a low elevation, and within a vertical range of a few hundred feet. A sprinkling of them was seen in the forests along the shores of the Te Anau and Manipori Lakes. In the same locality, the tutu tree, fuchsia, and numerous other shrubs, flourish, and by the variety of their foliage and brilliancy of blossom, contribute very considerably to the charms of the Lake scenery. Up the valley of the Dart, to Tara was come upon; on Pigeon Island, Wakatipu Lake, totara, pine, and gorse; and in the Island Bush, Te Anau Downs, totara and pine, at elevations ranging between 1000 and 1400 feet. On Goldie Hill, totara and red pine were seen to flourish at an estimated elevation of 1700 feet; generally, however, for all elevations over 1000 feet, the birch is the tree of the forest. So far as this survey is concerned, I believe it will be an under-estimate to state that the birch occurs five times for one of all the other sorts put together. Seeing that so large a portion of the Province is covered with this tree, it is interesting to know, that so far as applied to economic purposes, it is found to answer well; the stock-owners use the black birch extensively for fencing, stockyards, &c. As for the red birch, it has been found to answer well for building and for furniture and implement purposes. At Printz’ station the erection of a handsome mansion-house made of it was nearly completed while the survey was being conducted there... At Gillow’s station all the buildings have been formed of it, and what is of more importance in judging of the qualities of this timber, a wool press was seen there in

• Hooker, in his “New Zealand Flora,” classes as Beeches what are here termed Birches.
  To the Red, he gives the name “Fagus Menzeisii.”
  Black, ... “Fagus fusca.”
  White, ... “Fagus Solandri.”
  I have still used the term Birch, the tree being known in the Colony as such.