Page:The journal of the Royal Geographic Society of London. Volume 34, 1864. (IA s572id13663720).pdf/274

68 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-runs.

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 are 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 the sea-level.

The agricultural country lying around 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 soil 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 959·2 square miles of forest. This belongs principally to the valleys of the Waiau and its tributaries, and consists of what is usually known