Kōrero: Acclimatisation

Early acclimatisation societies did not just focus on animals, but also imported many plants. Some were brought for ornamental reasons, and others, such as cork, in the hope of establishing an industry. This advertisement for cork from a London firm was sent to scientist James Hector in 1872 by a Wellington Botanic Garden board member, suggesting that Hector should promote a cork industry in New Zealand. By the mid-1870s cork oaks were growing in the botanic garden, but an industry did not develop.