Forests.

Generally speaking, the whole of the district is covered with dense forest, from the sea-beach to the grass-grown tops of the high ranges, even the gaunt, broken mountain-faces being wrapped with exuberant foliage. The varieties of trees differ considerably according to soil and altitude. Kamahi and rata are the chief timbers, very useful for firewood, and, spread over the whole country, constitute as almost inexhaustible supply. Rimu is the chief milling timber, and this also is widely distributed from the sea-board to the interior uplands. Valuable stretches of white-pine belt the low-lying depression of the coastal lands, and the same may be remarked concerning the imperishable silver-pine. Clumps of black-pine of good quality are met with, also rarer patches of marketable totara; while serviceable cedars are scattered along the flanks of the inland ranges and all over the lower hills and plateaux. The approximate area of forest equals 2,394,951 acres, of which about 940,500 acres carry timber fit for the saw-mill, and some 903,785 acres dwarfd alpine varieties.