stretches of Scottish heather growing on the pumice plains of the North Island, but, strange to say, the names of those who are credited with having scattered the seed have a decidedly Hibernian look. A late Commissioner of Police planted large numbers of heather plants in the Tongariro National Park, in anticipation of the grouse which he hoped to see liberated there. It is sad to learn that this action brought forth a strong protest from the Director of Forestry.

The introduction of fruit trees and fruit into the Dominion has also brought in a host of new insect pests, to say nothing of fungoid and bacterial diseases, to plague the lives of the fruit-growers. Men of science are now at work endeavouring to find the natural enemies of some of these pests. For example, Dr Tillyard, the well-known entomologist attached to the Cawthron Institute, Nelson, has had very successful results in setting a minute wasp, known as Aphelinus mali, to exterminate the woolly aphis (American blight) on apples. It is characteristic of the careful methods now adopted in these matters that these tiny insects, i before liberation, were carefully examined to see if they carried any parasites, that such parasites were discovered, and promptly destroyed. An imported ladybird has practically exterminated another apple pest, 'cottony cushion scale,' and experts of the Agricultural Department are now hoping, with the help of the Entomological Institute, to find a natural enemy for b the pear midge, which has made its appearance in thei Dominion within the last four or five years. The most recent tribulation of the New Zealand orchardist is the discovery that the dreaded fireblight' of America (Bacillus amylivorus), a very destructive bacterial disease, has made its appearance. Energetic steps are being taken to cut it out wherever it appears, and in some commercial orchard districts orders have been issued to root out all hawthorn hedges-another introduction from the Homeland-as it is known that these are means of carrying over the infection during the winter.

Really the only department of acclimatisation in New Zealand which seems free from destructive criticism is, as Mr Thomson points out, the work done in the introduction of food fishes. The naturalisation of the brown

the

her

PROBLEMS OF ACCLIMATISATION

105

It

trout (Salmo fario) Mr Thomson truly says is the most successful piece of acclimatisation work undertaken in this country. It has exceeded all expectations. has not only stocked the streams and rivers with the finest of sporting and edible fishes, a reputation which it shares with the rainbow trout; but it has brought numerous sportsmen to the country, and made it known far and wide as a paradise for anglers.' English fishermen find it difficult to believe the size to which brown trout attain in New Zealand. Mr Thomson gives authorities to show that the largest brown trout taken from Rotorua lake was 27 lbs., while the largest from Lake Taupo is stated at 29 lbs.

End(chiefly rainbow) in these two lakes is almost incredible. They had indeed become overstocked, and as the fishing was deteriorating in consequence, the Government took the matter in hand and proceeded to reduce the number by netting. In three years they took out 213,467 fish, weighing 232 tons, and the result was to improve the

quality of the fishing.

This year the

Another valuable fish which has become very firmly the quinnat salmon (Salmo quinnat). established and is affording good sport to anglers, is Inspector of Fisheries is also able to announce with pardonable pride that the still finer Atlantic salmon has been successfully established after numerous unsuccessful attempts, beginning in 1864, have been made to acclima

tise this fish.

work being carried on at the Portobello (Dunedin) Marine Fish Hatchery, under the supervision of Mr

Reference should also be made to the

Thomson, for

Zealand waters lobsters and crabs, as well as turbot,

the purpose of introducing into New

herrings, and

other food fishes from the seas of the

Northern Hemisphere. The task is full of difficulties, likely to be achieved. Mr Thomson is pessimistic about and it is too early to say what measure of success is the herring, but is hopeful as to the chances of the

crustacea.

Enough has been said to show that-in all new

countries, at

should be strictly controlled by the State, acting under the best expert guidance. In New Zealand the work carried on by the acclimatisation societies has been the

rate-the work of acclimatisation

result of enthusiasm without sufficient scientific knowledge to keep their activities within safe bounds. 'I have been on the Council of an acclimatisation Society,' says Mr Thomson, and I know the enthusiasm, unalloyed by scientific considerations, which animates the members.' It is only a few months since one acclimatisation society passed a resolution to liberate opossums-notorious for their love of fruit-on a range of hills continguous to the largest block of commercial orchards in the Dominion. Fortunately the Government intervened in time to prevent this folly. The Department of Agriculture has inspectors at every port who examine importations of fruit and plants with the object of preventing the introduction of pests and diseases. Yet in spite of care the dreaded fireblight escaped them, and outbreaks were reported almost simultaneously in several parts of the North Island. Dr Tillyard urges in the strongest manner that a plant quarantine station shall be established, and that no plants or bulbs shall be allowed to be imported until they have been scientifically examined and reported free from danger.

New Zealand has suffered many things from those well-meaning persons who sought to add to its flora and fauna by introductions from outside, but it has been mercifully spared one calamity. It is still a country without snakes, notwithstanding that the nearest continent, Australia, has them in abundance, including some of the most venomous.

W. H. TRIGGS.

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imster

ins

and inte

ened in

of A

prevent

in spite

and out

ent Art. 7.-GERMANY'S CAPACITY TO PAY.

BEFORE the war, German statesmen and publicists endeavoured to show that their country was by far the wealthiest in Europe. Germans, of every class, are now proclaiming that their country has been utterly ruined by the war and is unable to pay adequate reparations. The solution of the Reparation problem is of the utmost importance to this country and the peace of the world. By destroying the value of the mark, Germany has wiped out not only her national debt but also the private indebtedness of her industries. German competition was serious before the war. It will be infinitely more dangerous to us if British industry is shackled and weighed down with an onerous war burden, while Germany is free of her war debt and her peace debts as well. Besides, France is determined that Germany shall make good the damage she has done; that if a nation is to be ruined by the war, it shall not be France. England is obviously interested in Germany paying for reparations to the limit of her capacity. What, then, is German capacity in that respect? Is it true that she this has been ruined by the Treaty of Versailles and the reparation payments made hitherto?

dd to

bar

severd

the

be est

wed to

mined

In 1914 Germany had become the richest country in Europe owing to her favourable geographical position and her great physical and human resources.

These have

been reduced only to a slight extent by the peace. She occupies the centre of the Continent. She is the natural mart and exchange of the countries around her. The greater part of Germany consists of an exceedingly fertile plain, opened up by a number of deep, gently flowing, and easily navigable streams, which form a system unique in the world. Her great rivers are navigable almost throughout the year by ships and barges carrying 1000 tons of goods and more, and are easily connected by lateral canals. The harbours of the Eastern Baltic are closed during many months of the year by ice, while the countries to the south and west of Germany lack easy access to the sea. Hence, a large portion of the trade of Western Russia, of the Scandinavian countries, of the Danubian lands, of Switzerland, Northern Italy and Western France, is carried via Germany. The most

important harbour of Austria-Hungary was Hamburg, not Trieste. The commercial importance of Germany is bound to increase with the improvement of her river and canal system. Deep new waterways connecting the Rhine with the Elbe, the Danube, and other rivers have been planned.

Agricultural Germany is highly productive. Before the war, she produced ten times as much breadcorn as this country, six times as much potatoes, twice as much meat, and, in addition to comparable items, produced twice as much sugar as she required, huge quantities of tobacco, and an abundance of timber and firewood. She has lost only a relatively unimportant proportion of her agricultural soil. The recent advance of agricultural science and of chemistry has caused leading German experts to proclaim that she will be able to raise within her borders all the food she requires, although her population is almost as dense as that of this country.

of

The bulk of Germany's pre-war wealth was created by her manufacturing industries. Her industrial advance was due to the possession of an abundance of the most important raw materials, to cheap transport, to an excellent geographical position, and to the industry and energy a numerous and rapidly increasing population. The bulk of these assets has remained to Germany. The most important industrial raw material is coal. It is true that Germany has lost a large part of her coal-bearing lands. She remains, however, the richest in that commodity among the nations of Europe. According to German official publications, the present coal wealth of the principal European nations is as follows:

Germany has far more coal than Great Britain and France combined, and in addition has gigantic lignite deposits. At present she produces more than 10,000,000