Thomas William Adams, 1841–1919.

Thomas William Adams was born in 1841 at Gravely, Cambridgeshire, England. He was educated first at a private school in Cambridge, and later at the British and Foreign Normal School, London. In 1862 he arrived at Lyttelton, and soon after took up land at Greendale, on the Canterbury Plain, where he successfully followed farming for many years.

The necessity for providing shelter for his stock against the frequent high winds showed Mr. Adams, as it did many of the pioneers, that the planting of shelter-belts was essential. A little later tree-planting was encouraged by the Government of the day by means of land grants in proportion to the area planted. As time went on he was not content to plant only the usual trees, but, stimulated by the true spirit of research, he sought to find out what other trees were suited to the conditions supplied by his neighbourhood—an area typical of much of the Canterbury Plain. So it came about that before many years had passed by he had growing upon his property pretty well all the exotic trees which at that time had been introduced into New Zealand. This made it necessary for him to go farther afield for his material, and he got into touch with some of the most celebrated arboriculturists of the day, and also botanical collectors in little-known regions, so that seeds of many species of trees and shrubs came yearly into his hands.

As the years passed by, thanks to his love for the self-imposed task and to his superabundant energy, his Greendale estate not only possessed fine mixed plantations, but easily the largest collection of living specimens of exotic trees and shrubs in New Zealand, representing not unworthily the hardy tree and shrub flora of the world. In conjunction with this practical work Mr. Adams became a close student of the literature relating to that class of plants which interested him so greatly, so that no one in the Dominion possessed such a wide knowledge of the subject. Nor did he neglect the broader aspects of his pursuit. Here his researches with regard to the Monterey pine (Pinus radiata) as a timber-tree can without hesitation be declared the most important advance which forestry has made in New Zealand up to the present time, and one which will eventually add great wealth to the country. That a tree universally despised as economically worthless (unless for inferior firewood) should, through Mr. Adams's experiments and unceasing advocacy of its value, come to be recognized by all New Zealand foresters as a most important timber-tree speaks volumes as to his acumen and careful investigations. Indeed, Mr. Adams through his teaching regarding the value of the Monterey pine materially modified the forestry policy of the Dominion. Here was a tree, hardly used in the early forestry operations, whose rapidity of growth combined with the many uses of its timber made its planting on the largest scale a highly payable proposition easy of demonstration.

In 1897 Mr. Adams joined the Canterbury branch of the New Zealand Institute. Though living too far from Christchurch to take an active part in the management of the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury, he attended the meetings whenever possible, read papers at times, delivered addresses, and showed interesting exhibits from his arboretum. Several of his papers appear in our Transactions, one in the Report of the Australasian Association for 1904, and a number in the Journal of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association. These papers form a

record of most important work, and give valuable details regarding the growth and behaviour of many species of economic trees. Apart from their economic value they have also a considerable phytogeographical bearing.

On account of his valuable work in arboriculture Mr. Adams some years ago was elected an honorary member of the Royal British Arboricultural Society, and last year he was made a life member of the New Zealand Forestry League.

As a public man Mr. Adams took great interest in education. He was for twenty-six years a member of the North Canterbury Education Board, and for twenty years a member of the Board of Governors of Canterbury College. To this institution he left by will 100 acres of land at Greendale on which are many of his plantations, and his entire general collection of trees and shrubs. To this bequest was added the sum of ∑2,000, the money and the land with its collections to form the nucleus of a forestry school in connection with Canterbury College. In 1913 he was one of the members of the Royal Commission on Forestry, and was of the greatest service to the Commission both from his knowledge and clear judgment.

Mr. Adams, who had been far from well for some time, passed away on the 1st June, 1919. His end was not altogether unexpected by his friends, notwithstanding he had attended the Science Congress in February, and gone to Dyer's Pass on one of the excursions. His lamented death has left a gap in New Zealand science which will not readily be filled. No man was more respected; few of our members have rendered more disinterested service to their country.

L. Cockayne