DEPARTMENT OF LANDS: REPORT ON STATE FORESTS. PART I.—State Forests under the Control of the Conservators of State Forests. PART II.—State Forests set apart for Afforestation, under the Control of the Chief Forester.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1906 Session II, C-01b

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Session 11. 1906. NEW ZEALAND.

DEPARTMENT OF LANDS: REPORT ON STATE FORESTS. PART I.—State Forests under the Control of the Conservators of State Forests. PART II.—State Forests set apart for Afforestation, under the Control of the Chief Forester.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

Report on the State Forests by the Under-Secretary for Lands. Department of Lands, Wellington, 20th June, 1906. As already foreshadowed in the annual report of the Department upon the lands administration, I have the honour to submit herewith a definite report upon the State forests of New Zealand, as distinct from last year's report on "The Timber Industry of New Zealand," which dealt with the operations of the numerous sawmillers throughout the colony and the utilisation of the millingtimber, both as regards the consumption within the colony and its export outside. This report refers only to State forests proclaimed as such by the provisions of " The New Zealand State Forest Act, 1885," which must not be confused with the ordinary Crown forests set apart under the authority of " The Land Act, 1892," and under the control of the Land Boards and the Commissioners of Crown Lands. Judging from articles which have appeared from time to time in the public Press, there appears to be some misapprehension as to the powers of the Government, represented by the Commissioner of State Forests appointed by "The New Zealand State Forests Act, 1885." Section 6 of that Act provides that sums accruing from the management of State forests are to be paid into a separate account of the Consolidated Fund, to be called the " State Forests Account" ; and section 7 authorises the Commissioner of State Forests to borrow money for State-forest purposes up to £10,000, but gave no power to enable the cost of the State Forests Department to be defrayed out of the Consolidated Fund in the same way as other Departments of the Government. It therefore became necessary to raise revenue from the disposal of marketable timber out of the State forests by sale on royalty to sawmillers, the sums so acquired being used for the gradual development of a Department whose duties would embrace the work of afforestation and replanting, and whose operations would be confined to districts where the original native growth had disappeared, and, in consequence, the climatic conditions demanded reforestation. The efforts of this Branch of the Lands Department, under the control of the Chief Forester, were therefore naturally turned, first, to the treeless areas of Central Otago, in the South Island; and, secondly, to the large pumice plains in the interior of the North Island, between Rotorua and Taupo, known as the Kamgaroa and Waiotapu plains ; followed by the initiation of nurseries and plantations at Hanmer, in the Canterbury District, and similar works at Starborough and Dumgree, in Marlborough. The latest nursery and plantation area is that of Kurow, in North Otago, where the mellowing influence of forest-growths are much needed in that treeless locality. The yearly expenditure on the above work has risen from £10,334 in the year 1901-2 to nearly £20,000 m 1904-5 ; and will probably increase to £28,000 in the current twelve months. Since 1896 practically £100.000 has been spent upon reforestation. The revenue from State forests for those peiiods amounted to £17,000 for 1901-2; £16,000 for 1902-3; £17,000 for 1903-4; £16,000 for 1901-5 ; £20,000 for 1905-6. Thus far it has been shown that the Government has not stayed its hand in the matter of providing timber-supplies for future generations, whilst the work of afforestation is going steadily forward, and its progress is both real and systematic. It must also be borne in mind that the men employed as nurserymen and overseers have required special training for their work, and that continuous experiments have had to be made to ascertain the various descriptions of trees most suitable for rearing and planting out, bearing always in mind the varied climatic conditions prevailing in the different parts of the colony. No less than thirty-two million tree-plants have been so raised in the State nurseries from their commencement, and the annual output is now over eight million trees. Following upon these prefatory remarks are given summaries setting out the details of the gazetted State forests and the State nurseries and plantations.

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Part I is a statement in schedule form of all State forests in the several land districts, and accompanying it are to be found brief summaries of those areas in each district and their present condition, whilst statements by each Conservator of State Forests are attached, giving full particulars of the individual forests in his district under his charge, and periodically inspected by the Forest Eangers. Part II is specially devoted to the usual annual report by the Chief Forester, on the reforestation areas under his more immediate control, and regarding which he has, with his usual clearness, detailed the work done during the past year. Interesting maps are also attached, showing the locality of the various State forests and the timber they contain. William C. Kensington, The Hon. T. Y. Duncan, Under-Secretary. Commissioner of State Forests, Wellington. .

PART I. Summary of State Forests under the Control of the Conservators of State Forests.

Auckland District. The State Forests in Shis district cover 234,824 acres, comprised in sixty-one different areas. Out of this about 22,000 acres has been burnt off at various times, mainly through accidental fires spreading into the reserves, and some 7,650 acres have accordingly been grassed to enable the land to be used for grazing purposes, whilst 1,618 acres have been replanted, and will eventually become forest land once more. From the careful inspections that have been made from time to time, it would appear that about 126,000 acres of the forest contain timber suitable for milling purposes, and, as the result of continuous and pressing applications by the sawmillers, over 154,000,000 superficial feet have been sold on royalty to supply in some measure the increasing demand for timber in the North. It is now estimated that about 234,000,000 superficial feet still remain available for this purpose, and will be sufficient to meet the demands for some years to come. Although large quantities of timber have been so disposed of and otherwise destroyed, yet it is estimated that no less than 160,000 acres are yet in their natural state. This includes a considerable quantity of milling-timber suitable for disposal, and a fair proportion of land that will be available for settlement purposes when the timber has been cleared off the surface ; but, making allowances for this, there would appear to be about 90,000 acres suitable only for reservation for climatic purposes, as the land is too rough and mountainous to be utilised in any other way. Such forest areas will be of inestimable good in preventing the degradation of the soil, and retarding the rapid rise of mountain streams after a heavy rainfall, by absorbing the surplus moisture and allowing it to gradually percolate through the vegetation to the benefit of the lower-lying lands. Hawke's Bay District. The seventeen forests in Hawke's Bay comprise 222,936 acres, mostly in the Poverty Bay portion of the district or along the slopes of the Ruahine Ranges in the south. They are reported to be still in their natural state, covered with mixed forest, scrub, and fern. It is estimated that they contain over 200,000,000 superficial feet of milling-timber, and up to the present none of this has been sold or disposed of to the sawmillers, and still remains available for that purpose. Practically, the bush-fires have not encroached into the State forests, and, with the exception of a few acres on the outskirts, they are in a virgin state. Tree-planting has not yet been necessary in the district, and as most of the reserves are situated on the mountain ranges which form the backbone of Hawke's Bay, it is important from a climatic point of view to preserve them untouched. Being remote from the various trade centres, and comparatively inaccessible, there is not likely to be much demand for the timber in these forests for a long time to come.

Land District. No. Area of Forests. Area burnt I Area remainor ■ Area erassed Area ing in destroyed ' 6 ' replanted. Natural State (approx.). I (approx.). Milling-timber remaining. Acres. Acres. j22,111*1 152,8001) 1,000* Nil 3,433* j 500*) 1 1,120-1-) 310* 456!10,63111 1,000* f 350*1 I 4,8001) Acres. Acre?. Acres. Sup. Ft. Auckland 61 234,824 7,650 1,618 159,913 234,792,402 flawke's Bay... Taranaki Wellington ... 17 25 45 222,936 64,145 938,951 Nil "l23 Nil 221,936 64,145 935,518 205,000,000 77,160,000 41,480,000 Marlborough ... 2 25,260 300 23,640 91,000,000 Nelson Westland Canterbury ... 23 3 85 10 8,900 456 270,631 91,100 Nil tl 8,590 Nil 260,0001 90,100 27,393,000 10,000 Not given. 3,700,000 Not given Nil Not given Otago ir Southland 20 445,150 // 440,000| 62,723,700 Totals ... 2,302,353 291 98,511 8,073 1,618 2,203,842 746,259,102 * Burnt, t Dei itroyed. J About.

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Taeanaki Distkict. There are twenty-five different State forests in this district, covering an area of 64,145 acres. All the land is still in its natural state, and is covered with mixed bush and timber, the latter being almost entirely available for milling purposes, as only about 4,000 acres of these forests are not so suitable. None of the timber has yet been disposed of to sawmillers, and there is consequently an estimated quantity of 77;000,000 superficial feet which could be utilised if deemed advisable. However, much of it is difficult of access and situate in remote localities, so that disposal in this manner is not at present practicable. Fires have apparently encroached very little into the reserves, and the forest seems to be untouched, so that tree-planting operations have not yet been needed in Taranaki, and the lands serve the purpose for which they were originally set aside, and assist in maintaining the climatic equilibrium of the country. Wellington Disteict. Some forty-five State forests in this district contain 938,951 acres of land set apart under the provisions of the Act. With the exception of a few acres in the outskirts, the whole of this large reserve is still in its natural state, and contains great quantities of valuable milling-timber, though for want of easy access a large proportion cannot be utilised for that purpose, for many years to come. About 3,600,000 superficial feet has been disposed of to sawmillers and others, and fires have swept through the bush on about 3,000 acres, thereby destroying the forest growing on the land, but with this inconsiderable exception the forest reserves are untouched. No reforestation has yet been carried out in the Wellington District, and as much of the present reservation is unlikely to be needed for settlement requirements, but is admirably adapted for climatic and scenic purposes, it is probable that tree-planting on a large scale will be unnecessary for a long time to come. Marlborough Disteict. There are only two State forests in Marlborough, comprising 25,260 acres. About 15,500,000 superficial feet of timber has been felled and sold to sawmillers, and it is estimated that about 94,000,000 superficial feet of milling timber still remains available. An area of 500 acres has been burnt, and of this 300 acres has now been put down in grass. None of the cleared area has yet been replanted, as only some 1,600 acres has been affected in this manner. Nelson District. In Nelson are to be found some twenty-three different blocks of land set apart under the State Forests Act, aggregating 8,900 acres. It is estimated that 27,000,000 superficial feet of milling timber are included in these forests, and of this none has been disposed of in any way. About 310 acres of bush has been destroyed by fires sweeping through it, but, with this exception, the whole of the land reserved is still in a state of nature, and, from a climatic point of view, is very useful to the district. No replanting has been thought necessary under the above circumstances. Wbstland Distkict. Only 456 acres, in three reserves, have been set aside for State forest purposes. They have been denuded of the original indigenous forest, but a secondary growth is now springing up and covers all the area. Canterbury District. There are no less than eighty-five different areas of forest lands set aside under the provisions of the Act in Canterbury, extending over 270,631 acres. Most of these forests were recommended for reservation for climatic and preservative purposes, to prevent the back country from being converted into shingle-faces, rather than for any timber-value. The majority of the reserves are of such altitude and so difficult of access that they are of little value for milling purposes, though it is estimated that there is a large proportion of birch timber which will eventually be available for utilisation in this manner. In North Canterbury some 7,000 acres of forests were destroyed by fire about eight years ago, and subsequently partly surface-sown in grass, and in many of the forests traces of fires are to be seen, though much damage has not been done. No afforestation has yet been considered necessary in the reservations, though at Hanmer and elsewhera plantations have been started and are doing well, as will be seen by the Report on Afforestation by the Chief Forester of the Department. Otago District. Some 91,100 acres, comprised in ten different blocks, have been set aside as State forests in Otago, mostly in the extreme north of the district, round the McKerrow, Young, and other ranges. About a thousand acres has been destroyed by fire, but with this exception the forests remain in their natural state. About 200,000 superficial feet of timber has been cut and sold off the reserves, and it is estimated that 3,700,000 superficial feet of milling-timber are available for future supplies. None of the burnt area has been grassed or replanted, but the Chief Forester has planted 1,679 acres of plantations in otber parts of the district, which more than counteract the destruction of the natural forests. Southland District. The second largest area of lands reserved for State forest purposes is to be found in this district, as 445,150 acres contained in twenty reservations have been set aside from time to time. Very little forest has been burnt, and practically the whole of the area is still in its natural state, and no less than 102,630 acres of sawrnilling bush is still available for future operations, contain, ing approximately 92,000,000 superficial feet of rimu, 16,000,000 superficial feet of kahikatea--9,000,000 superficial feet of matai, and 200,500,000 superficial feet of totara, whilst 93,000,000 superficial feet of birches are estimated to be included in the above forests. Outside these areas is the great Sounds National Park, of over 2,000,000 acres, so that climatic considerations have been well looked after in the Southland District.

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Details of State Forests

Reserve No. Survey District. j Area, Fc If in Natural State. Forest. orest. Milling-timber. j If containing ! Felled Milling- and sold on Remaining, timber. Royalty. Milling-timber. Burnt. Arei. ! Grassed. Replanted.! Arei. Remarks. .UCKLAND LAND DI! iTRICT. Acres. 7,700 Sup. Ft. Sup. Ft.|l 55,000,000 j vj Acres. ,ji :]' Acres. Acres. High land, situated west coast, contains 50,000,000 ft, kauri and 5,000,000 ft. rimu. Country undulating, suitable for settlement. Altitude, sea-level to 1,502 ft. Access, Hokianga Harbour. Remaining marketable timber now measured and nearly ready for disposal. 3 ,j Native bush, towai, rata, tawa, &c.; rough land. High mountainous country, 2,000 ft. to 2,500 ft. above sea-level, suitable for climatic purposes. Part suitable for settlement, part can be utilised for reforestation; position, good, easy access. Kauri timber now being worked by lessees. In natural state. Held under grazing-lease year to year. In. natural state, remaining timber mostly kauri. Considerable portion suitable for settlement. Timber remaining, kahikatea, rimu, and a little kauri. Exclusive of 8,000,000 ft. of kauri sold recently to Smith Bros, (operations not yet commenced). Measuring remaining timber in hand, comprising kauri, rimu, kahikatea, matai, and totara. Rough poor land ; mostly covered fern and tea-tree, light bush and gullies. Covered mostly with light native bush. Timber disposed of on royalty and worked off. Timber sold and worked, including No. 39, total. Native bush in natural state. In natural state, native bush. Miscellaneous lease, section 232, " Land Act, 1892." 6 Whangape, Block XIV .. ., Yes Yes .. • • •• ! 100 7 Omahuta, Blocks XI, XII, XV, XVI, and XIII, I, III, and IV 16,024 No 14,176,521 41,401,972 100 Tutamoe, Block X 7,750 No 14 Yes No .. 33, 15 Tutamoe, Block XV 1,250 ■ 16 Whangarei and Bav of Islands County, Blocks III, IV, VII, and VIII 17,640 No Yes Yes .. 60,000,000 1,500,000 10,000 I I 4,000 871 j 17 Hukerenui, Block X 500 No No .. 1,400,000 200 21 26 29 Whangarei, Block X .. Mangakahia, Block VIII Maimgaru, Block IV 600 1,210 467 Yes No Yes Yes Yes 80,000 500,000 500,000 1,000,000 "300 300 .'. 32 Hobson, Kaihu, Tutamoe, Blocks III,'IV, XVL'and XV 5,450 No 44,136,069 15,300,000 2,725 35 Mangakahia, Blocks X and XIV 12,355 Yes 26,000,000 500 37 Waitemata, Kaipara, Block XV 175 i No No 38 ; 39 Rodney, Arai Parish, Blocks V and VI Rodney, Pakiri, Block VI 425 1,550 No ',', .. 779,547 .. .. .. .. Rodney, Pakiri, Block XIV and XV j 40 593 41 42 43 Rodney, Hoteo Parish, Blocks I and II Tauhoa, Block X .. Waitakarei Parish, Blocks XII and XIII 925 1,525 300 Yes No "l50 „ .-

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44 Otau Parish, Block XIV 834 Yes Yes 1,750,000 Kauri, 500,000 ft, ; rimu, 1,250,000 ft. Timber remote from suitable market. One quarter area open land, remainder native bush with a few scattered rimus. High country covered with native bush. Ordinary mixed bush, steep broken land. Altitude, 3,000 ft., and suitable for settlement. Mostly high country, 1,000 acres fern and scrub, remainder native bush. Old workings cut out. Te Aroha Mountain; high steep land, mostly covered with light bush and scrub. Native bush with some scattered rimu ; soil good. About 100 acres open land, remainder native bush, comprising tawa, rata, and a few scattered rimus ; country rough. Undulating country covered with native bush of no marketable value. Ditto. 45 Raglan, Block VII 2,270 No 40 48 Karioi Parish, Block IV Kawhia, Pirongia, Block II 2,898 3,000 53 Moehau, Block II .. 2,720 Yes 1,500,000 60 65 Tairua, Blocks X, XI, XIV, and XV Piako and Ohinemuri, Block XI .. 3,910 2,500 No Yes No 6,100,000 I 66 Piako, Block XV 1,436 67 Katikati, Block VIII 270 i 'I 68 Katikati, Blocks I and IV 144 68a 69 70 Aongatete, Block I Tauranga, Block VIII Otanewainuku, Block XII .. 81 541 3,050 Yes 9,150,000 In natural state, covered with mixed bush. Milling-timber mostly rimu. Country undulating to flat; soil good. State forest plantation at Whakarewarewa all planted. No milling-timber ; mixed forest, chiefly towai; broken country, unsuitable for settlement. Elevation, from 500 ft. to 3,500 ft. Felled timber cut for telegraph-lines, remainder suitable for public purposes. Rough broken land, unsuitabe for settlement. Altitude, 50 ft. to 1,200 ft, Mostly broken country, one-third fern, one - third suitable for settlement. Access from Okaihau. Altitude, 500 ft. to 1,800 ft. In natural state. Altitudt, from 200 ft. to 1,916 ft. Covered in native bush, steep broken land. Altitude, 200 ft. to 2,400 ft. Covered in natural bush, about 4,000,000 ft. kauri; remaining timber of no marketable value. Country undulating, suitable for settlement ; road access. Altitude, 700 ft. to 1,400 ft. High rough country, access difficult; suitable for climatic purposes. 74 Rotorua, Blockfl 747 No No 747 79 Haparapara and Raukumara, Blocks VIII, IX, XII, XV, II, III, V, and VI 57,700 Yes I I Tatua, Block VI 252 No 750,000 500,000 81 Yes 1 Whangaroa, Block 2 .. 1,292 No Yes 2,500,000 375,000 lA Kaeo, Blocks X, XI 2,112 No 2,000,000 Maungataniwha, Blocks V, VI, VII 3,097 2,500,000 2 Yes Yes 3 Mauhgataniwba, Blocks XI, XII, XV, XVI 8,243 No 4 Takahue, Block IX .... 4,160 Yes 4,000,000 Omapere, Block XIII 640 No Waoku, Blocks V and VI 3,692 Yes 1,000,000

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Details of State Forests— continued.

Reserve No. Area. Forest. Milling-tii If in If containing Felled Natural Milling- | and sold on State. timber. Royalty. Forest. Milling-timber. irnber. Remaining. Burnt. Area. Grassed. Area. Replanted. Survey District. Remarks. AUCK ,AND LAN! D DISTRICT — continued. Acres. 3,510 j Yes .. I Yes ... j Sup. Ft. i Sup. Ft. 500,000 Acres. Acres. Acres. 10 Waoku, Blocks IX and X High rough country, access difficult; suitable for climatic purposes. Native bush, towai, tawa, rata, &c. High land, part broken and part fern. Situated west coast. Contains about 65,000,000 ft, kauri, of which about 5,000,000 ft. is dry. High land. Soil mostly poor. Altitude, from 200 ft. to 1,800 ft. 590 acres green bush. Marketable timber measured and ready for disposal. Timber, kauri, part dry. Timber chiefly kauri and kahikatea. Light native bush. 11 12 II! Waoku, Block XII Punakitere, Blocks IX and XIII Waipoua, Blocks I, II, III, IV, VII, VIII .. 150 928 22,640 No Yes '.'. 65,000,000 "300 Very little • 18 19 Opuawhanga, Blocks V and VIII Whangarei, Blocks I and II 2,195 1,369 No 3,389,715 300,000 150,000 1,600 1,000 •• 20 22 23 24 25 Whangarei, Block VII Purua, Block XI Purua, Block I Purua, Block I Mangakahia, Block IV; Mototau, Block XVI 854 1,580 163 180 576 Yes No 300,000 1,500,000 50 No Yes 2,114,695 400,000 200 200 Held under grazing-lease for fourteen years. Timbers remaining, chiefly rimu and kahikatea. Held under grazing-lease, year to year. Kauri worked out, remaining timber mostly kahikatea. Milling-timber worked out; held under year-to-year lease. Kauri worked out, other timbers of no commercial value. Marketable timber all worked out. High steep country (Maunganui Bluff), covered with scrub and light native bush. High country, part broken, soil fair. No report; timber supposed to be cut out. Some scattered rimu ; 43 acres felled for road purposes, remainder native bush. 26a 27 Mangakahia, Block VIII Mangakahia, Blocks X and XIV 277 2,054 No Yes 4,169,834 3,500.000 • 100 50 50 28 Maungatapere Parish, Block V .. 883 No 900,000 500 30 Waipu and Mareretu, Blocks I, IV, and XII 7,225 317,965 4,000 3,000 31 34 Mareretu Waipoua, Block XII 382 754 Yes 198,000 36 44a 47 Tangihua, Block VII .. Opaheke, Otau Parish, Blocks XI and XII.. Karioi Parish, Block X .. 6,265 500 640 No Yes 11,157,746 1,165,430 300 Yes No 36 Totals 234,824 154,170,092 234,792,402 22,111 7,650 1,618 ! 1 I 1 I 1 1 1 I 1

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HAWKE'S BAY LAND DISTRICT.

1 Mangaoporo .. .. .. .. .. 2,306 j Yes 2 Mangaoporo .. .. .. .. .. 1,880 ! „ 3 Mata .. .. .. .. .. -■ 1,756 j „ 4 Hikurangi, &c. .. .. .. .. 134,204 1 „ 5 Ngatapa .. .. •• .. .. 1,880 ,, - 6 Ngatapa .. .. .. .. .. 1,142 „ 7 Ngatapa .. .. .. .. .. 1,800 „ 8 Hangaroa .. .. .... .. 600 „ 9 Hangaroa .. .. .. .. .. 1,142 „ 10 Waikaremoana .. .. .. .. 22,200 11 Kaweka .. .. .. .. ■■ 26,386 12 Kuripapanga .. .. .. • • . • 941 ,, 13 j Whakarara .. .. .. .. .. 10,450 „ 14 Makaretu .. .. .. .. .. 1,700 „ 15 Norsewood .. .. .. .. .. 5,225 „ 16 Norsewood .. .. .. .. .. 620 „ 17 Woodville .. .. .. .. .. 8,704 „ Totals .. .. ' .. .. 222,936 j* 1 : .. Yes .. .. 5,000,000 .. ! „ .. .. 4,000,000 .. ,i .. .. 4,000,000 .. I „ .. . . 70,000,000 ..'■.„ .. .. 11,000,000 .. i „ .. .. 2,500,000 .. I „ .. .. 7,500,000 1,500,000 .. No .. .. Yes .. .. 44,000,000 : .. No . . '.'. Yes .. .. 10,000,000 18,000,000 2,500,000 j 25,000,000 I 205,000,000 roo ! I •• 600 j 200 100 •• i - 1,0C0 i 1 TARANAKI LAND DISTRICT. ! :: i Mimi, Section 20, Block IV .. .. .. 585 Yes Mimi, Sections 12, 13, Block VIII .. .. 788 I „ Mimi, Sections 10, 11, 12, Block VII .. .. 2,380 j „ Mimi, Section 17, Block VIII; Sections 5, 6, 8, 4,356 Block XII Mimi, Section 10, Block XIII .. .. .. 1,886 Upper Waitara, Section 5, Block IV .. .. 1,535 „ Upper Waitara, Section 7, Block VIII .. .. 1,744 Tikorangi, Section 63 .. .. .. .. 56 ,, Waitara, Sections 22, 23, Block XV .. .. 3,217 Waitara, Section 16, Block XVI .. .. .. 397 Upper Waitara, Section 6, Block IX .. .. 1,660 Uppei Waitara, Section 3, Block X .. .. 615 Upper Waitara, Section 8, Block XIII . . .. 2,970 Ngatimaru, Section 44, Block II .. ... .. 92 ,, Ngatimaru, Section 12, Block IV.. .. .. 406 Huiroa, Sections 6, 11, Block VIII .. .. 630 „ Omona, Section 8, Block II .• .. .. 575 Cape, Section 15, Block X .. .. ... 64 Pouatu, Section 5, Block X .. .. .. 405 „ Pouatu, Section 13, Block XV .. .. .. 52 Mahoe, Section 19, Block I .. .. .. 524 Taurakawa, Section 6, Block II .. .. .. 358 Taurakawa and Kapara, Rawhitiroa Block .. 35,040 „ Kapara, Section 4, Block I .. .. .. 358 „ Opaku, Sections 3, 4, Blocks VII, XI, .. .. 3,452 .. No .. | .. ( '.'. Yes '.'. V. 7,000,000 5,500,000 3,000,000 2,000,000 .. No .. ..Yes .. .. 6,500,000 500.000 .. I „ .. .. 2,000,000 .. „ .. .. 900,000 .. I „ .. .. 5,000,000 100,000 400,000 1,260,000 .. 800,000 No ..Yes .. .. 1,000,000 .. No .. Yes .. .. 500,000 200,000 35,000,000 .. 500,000 5,000,000 I •• ! - j i i 1 j I I ! Totals .. .. .. .. 64,145 I 77,160,000 i i ' I ! !

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Details of State Forests— continued.

reserve i No. ! Survey District. I Area. Fc If in Natural State. Forest. 'orest. If containing Millingtimber. Milling-timber. Felled and sold on Remaining. Royalty. Milling-timber. Burnt. Area. Grassed. Area. Replanted. Remarks. WELLINGTO: LAND DIS' 'RICT. Acres. 337 246 45,146 Yes .. No .. Yes .. .. No Sup. Ft. Sup. Ft. Acres. Acres. Acres. Mangawiiero, Section 6, Block XII Hautapu, Section 16, Block I *.. Waiotoka, Blocks XIV, XV, XVI, Mangamaire, Blocks I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX Obinewairua, Sections 31, 32, Block IX .. 400,000 Mostly open land. 1 490 .. Yes .. 100,000 The open 'portion leased to Mr. Williams for fourteen years. Ruapehu, Block XV ; Karioi, Blocks II, III Kaimanawa, Pihanga Tongariro, Ruapehu Makuri, Block I Mangahao (part of), Blocks I, II. IX, XIII.. Tararua (part of), Blocks II, III, IV, V, VI, VIII. IX, XI, XII, XIII; Mikimiki, Blocks II, III, VI; Arawaru, Blocks X, XI, XII, XIII; Waiopehu, Blocks IV, VII, XII Tararua, Section 1, Block IV Mangaone, Sections 7, 11, Block I Tararua, Sections 5 and 6, Block II Tararua, Section 12, Block VII Tararua, Section 7, Block XIV ; Mangaone, Section 174, Block XIII; Mikimiki, Section 6, Block IV ; Kopuaranga, Section 16, Block I Rewa, Blocks VI, X Rewa, Sections 679, 681, Block XI Wainuioru, Section 291, Block X Parts of Taimgata, Eritonga, Mikimiki, Waiohine, Tiffin Waiohine, Blocks III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII; Eritonga,, Blocks I, III, IV, V ; Akatarawa, Blocks IV, VII, VIII, XI, XII Mikimiki, Blocks XIII, XIV ; Tiffin, Block I Waiohine, Blocks II, IV : Tiffin, Block I, V Tiffin, Blocks I, II, V .. Waiohine, Blocks IV, V, VI Haurangi, Blocks III, VI, VII, VIII, X, XI, XII, XV, XVI; Kaitawa, Blocks III, IV, VII, VIII, X, XI Waiohine, Sections 543, 544, Block VII .. Akatarawa, Blocks XII, XVI; Waiohine, Block VII; Wairarapa, Block II Wairarapa, Blocks I, II, V ; Onoke, Blocks I, II, III, V, VI; Pencarrow, Blocks II, V, VI; Rimutaka, Block XVII 6,760 • 45,000 80,800 200 25,200 155,000 202 309 74 292 1,998 3,900 390 981 155,000 Part Yes No Yes Yes' '.'. No .. Yes .. '.'. No Yes No Yes'' No 750,000 Unknown 600,000 20,000,000 450,000 Unknown 1,630,400 1,650,400 35 38 35 38 ' 36,400 2,700 5,700 1,285 5,370 32,000 3,000 965 3,000 21,000

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itimutaka, Blocks II, III, VI, VII, IX, X, XI, 31,400 Yes .. No XVII; Wairarapa, Block V; Onoke, Blocks II, III, V Akatarawa, Blocks I, .V, IX; Paikakarilri, Blocks 13,300 „ .. Yes IV, VII Akatarawa, Blocks XV, XVI; Rimutaka, Blocks 6,500 „ .. No III, IV Arawaru, Blocks VIII, X .. .. .. .. > „ .. No 31,400 13,300 Yes 2,000,000 6,500 Waiopehu, Blocks VII, VIII, XV, X, XI, XIV; 155,000 „ .. „ Taungata, Blocks II, III, V, VI, IX, X, XIII; Kaitawa, Blocks XII, XVI Kaitawa, Section 4, Block XI .. .. .. 1,807 Kaitawa, Block XV .. .. .. .. 1,520 „ .. „ Waiopehu, Sections 55, 58a, 79, 76, Blocks V and VI 190 „ .. .. Unknown 155,000 ( Rough broken country, only suitable foi forest reserve. Ditto. 1,807 1,520 190 ,, Gorge, Block V .. .. .. .. 25,200 „ „ Gorge, Section 374, Block III .. .. 250 „ Ruahine, Blocks VIII, XIV ; Umutoi, Blocks I, II, 28,800 „ IV, V Pohangina, Blocks XI, XII, XV .. .. .. 3,400 Pohangina, Blocks VIII, XIV .. .. .. 3,156 „ .. Yes Pohangina, Block IV ; Umutoi, Blocks X, XII, XIII, 7,620 „ XIV Umutoi, Blocks II, III, V, VI, VIII, IX, XI .. 28,800 „ .. No Pohangina, Section 48, Block VII .. .. 978 „ .. Yes .. 2,923,157 25,200 250 28,800 50 50 50 50 '.'. Proposed scenic reserve, for which purpose it is very suitable. Only suitable for scenic purposes. ! Only valuable as forest reserve. 3,400 3,156 7,620 2,000,000 1,000,000 Too"rough to'milL Too'rough and inaccessible to mill. 28,800 978 10,000,000 "310 "310 Only suitable for forest reserve. First-class reserve for forest and scenic purposes. First - class scenery reserve. Close tc Utiku Railway-station. Hautapu, Section 4, Block VII .. — .. 62 I „ 62 I 500,000 Hautapu, Section 11, Block VII .. ,. .. 89 | „ „ Hautapu, Section 41, Block IV .. .. -. 135 I 89: 135 j 700,000 3,433 123 Sold byTauction to Gardener Bros. Totals] .. ... .. 938,951 .. .. 3,673,157 : 1 938,951 41,480,000 3,433 123 1 1 j_ j. MARLBOROUGH LAND D Rai and Opouri Reserve.. .. ... „. j 21,190 19,590 Yes ..[.. 15,300,750 Wakamarina .. .. .. .. ... 4,070 4,050 „ .." 200,000 Totexd .. ... .. ™ 25,260 23,640 „ 15,500,750 STRICT. 90,000,000 4,000,000 500 j 500 300 r .. 300 „ 94,000,000 ! i 500 NELSON .LAND DIS1 :ICT. Wai-iti, Section 3, Block HI .. .. .. 90 Yes .. Yes .. ■■-..- 4, „ „ .. .. .. ..- 74 Partly.. „ 14, „ „ .. .. .. 88 „..„.. „ 15, „ „ .. .. .. 109 Yes .. „ 6, „ VET ... ... .. 160 Partly.. 7, „ „ .. .. .. 196 Yes .. „ . ... ,- 270,000 132,000 216.000 327,000 330,000 588,000 30 15 50 ..

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10

Details of State Forests— continued.

Forest. Milling-timber. Area. eserve No. I Survey District. Area. If in If containing | Natural MillingState, timber. Felled and sold on Royalty. Burnt. Grassed. Replanted. Remarks. Remaining. NEL! ION LAND DISTRICT— continued. -continued. Wai-iti, Section 4, Block X ,, „ 5, ,, ,, „ 6, „ ,. Gordon „ 5, „ XI Wai-iti, „ 9, „ IX ,, 14, „ „ „ 15, „ „ ' „ „ 16, „ „ „ 29, „ „ „ 30, „ „ „ 31, „ „ „ 10, „ X „ 11, „ „ „ 17, „ „ „ 33, „ XI „ 34, „ „ Whangamoa, Section 4, Block IV „ 5, „ V „ 2, „ VIII Takaka, Sections 5 and 6, Block XI Kaiteriteri, Blocks VII, XI, XII, XIV, XV Totals Acres. 84 Yes 732 Part 1,392 Yes 103 73 103 58 I „ 91 i Part 78 109 79 51 160 191 101 I 1,920 | Yes 8,900 Yes .. Partly .. Yes .. Partly .. tly •tly s 7 . . Sup. Ft Sup. Ft. Acres. I Yes ..I .. I 252,000 j 104,000 1 .G.AO AAA 1 Kn 1,643,000 150 O QAt\ AAA 3,840,000 oao aaa .. | .. | 309,000 oic aaa 216,000 9AI1 AAA 309,000 in A AAA 174,000 Of),- AAA I IK 225,000 15 OC1 AAA Sup. Ft. 252,000 104,000 1,643,000 3,840,000 309,000 216,000 309,000 174,000 225,000 261,000 327,000 237,000 153,000 447,000 573,000 300,000 3,450,000 5,760,000 Acres. "l50 15 Acres. Acres. Acres. 261,000 OOT AAA 327,000 OOT AAA 237,000 1KO AAA 153,000 A AH AAA 447,000 KTO AAA 573,000 OAA AAA 300,000 9 A KA AAA 1 fTA 150 J Yes '.'. 3,450,000 150 5,760,000 R orccn AAO 6,850,000 I .: 6,850,000 •• 310 27,393,000 310 27,393,000 w: ESTLAND LAND DISTRICT. 208 Mahinapua, Block XII 212 Otira, Block VI 213 Otira, Block VII Totals .. 376 No 40 „ 40 „ 456 Yes .. Unknown 10,000 No .. ,, Unknown 10,000 J r (' CA] NTERBURY LAND DISTRICT. 3262 I Ashley County.. 3263 3264 3265 3266 3267 6,000 j Yes 7,500 j „ .. ! 1,100 ; „ .. I 10,000 „ .. ! 2,000 „ 800 „ No .. .. Partly ..

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3271 3272 3273 3268 3269 3274 3275 3276 3277 3278 3279 3280 3281 3282 3283 3284 3285 3286 3287 3288 3289 3290 3291 3292 3293 3294 3295 3296 3297 3298 3299 3300 3301 3302 3303 3304 3305 3306 3307 3308 3309 3443 3444 3445 3310 3311 3312 3313 3314 3315 3316 Ashley County.. 2,400 450 7,600 3,300 10,000 1.500 6,600 2,800 2,300 3,300 1,200 4,000 1,300 17,000 4,400 14,500 14,000 7,000 13,000 2,300 6.500 500 600 300 1,200 200 3,800 300 50 25 16,000 6,500 2,000 500 3,500 500 700 300 15,000 600 1,400 1,100 54 74 285 9,000 350 100 500 660 800 200 Yes Yes .. No Yes .. No 1,000,000 | »» - • J» Several millio Partly .. n feet Mostly.. Partly .. Selwyn County .. " • • j Partly .. ;j .. | •• I •■ i it ,. ■ • ! i s> ■ • i A little Unknown i ty -1 " " I .. Partly .. | it No " It • • .. ! " A little" Unknown Possibly •>? ! „ " I •• No ■ I ■• 5> .. Partly .. Partly .. it ;j -.- ! s „ .. " - ' I ■• ... »s I 1 •• ;> ""I Partly .. )» „ . Possibly No Unknown Partly . . it „ Ashburton County Yes '.'. Unknown Slightly Very little Yes .. Very little ;j it " l - )* tt i i

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12

Details of State Forests— continued.

I Area. Area. Fc Kin Natural State. Forest. 'orest. If containing Millingtimber. Milling-timber. Reserve Ho. Survey District. Felled and sold on Royalty. Remaining. Burnt. Grassed. Replanted. Remarks. lANTERBt RY LAND DISTRICT■continued. Ashburton County „ Acres. 2,100 300 1,800 800 ! 1,000 400 400 300 1,200 250 2,600 2,600 1,300 48 13 5,100 9,000 2,500 150 I 200 350 207 165 I 450 j 2,800 3,600 11,000 | 270,631 Yes Sup. Ft. Sup. Ft. Unknown Acres. Slightly Acres. Acres. 3317 3318 3319 3320 3321 3322 3323 3324 3325 3326 3327 3328 3329 3244 3245 3343 3344 3345 3348 3349 3350 3543 3346 3347 3340 3341 3342 Very little Possibly Partly .. ,, - - | " " •• I „ • • i „ „ .. -• i .... Mackenzie County " I Yes .. No Partly Slightly ,, • • „ -- j Unknown „ -. ! A little .. " Geraldine County Waimate County ■ ■ No A little Unknown Slightly ■■■• Waitaki County i •• i ,, Total .. I DTAGO LAND DISTRR Aspiring and Wilkin, Section 3330 Wilkin, Section 3331 Young, Haast, Wilkin, and MoKerrow Section 3332 Haast and MoKerrow, Section 3333 MoKerrow, Section 3334 Hunter, Section 3335 3,800 3,100 47,600 11,000 3,300 14,100 Yes OTAGO Li .; I A little A little " 50,000 150,000. TVT~ IT. 100,000 100,000 1,000,000 1,500,000 1,000 I * • j it '.'. J No' .. No .. | • • j „ .}

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■" Hunter. Section 3336 Stafford, Section 3337 Hunter and Stafford, Section 3338 Hunter and Stafford, Section 3339 8,200 1,000 7,000 2,000 91,100 Yes .. No .. -Yes .. .. ) .. A little .. j200,000 ! - ! 1,000,000 Totals 3,700,000 1,000 i i i Aparima SOUTHLAND LAND DISTRIC More birch and less red-pine in remaining milling-timber. JT. , 14,800 i Yes .. | Yes .. , 8,023,000 , , 9,078,000 | j Oreti Campbelltown Centre Hill Eyre Forest Hill. Hokonui Invercargill 1 Jacob's River 340 3,600 6,400 50,000 2,700 3,750 284 20,950 ...- 1,040,000 5,013,200 Partly .. " .. " . . 3,149,900 „ -.. „ .. 890,800 „ .. „ .. 617,400 „ .. „ .. 9,897,000 730,000 1,000,000 2,000,000 1,850,000 1,927,000 13,640,800 More birch and less red-pine in remaining | milling-timber. vDitto. I Longwood ; Mabel j New River | Oteramika ; Stewart Island j Takitimo Waiau Waimumu _'-*.. Wairaki *>-]!.. Wairio Winton Totals .. 52,800 740 1,470 9,650 232,450 29,000 6,300 470 4,000 4,700 746 „ .. „ .. 29,718,100 „ .. No .. 3,358,700 „ .. „ .. 2,382,900 .. Yes .. 43,605,000 Yes .. " ..No '.. '.'. ..Yes .. Partly No .. 1,082,900 22,247,900 1,500,000 2,000,000 2,500,000 "l50 200 No black-pine. 1,250,000 3,000,000 ■ ■• 445,150 108,779,800 62,723,700 350

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PART II. Summary of State Forests set apart for Afforestation, under the Control of the Chief Forester.

Report by Chief Forester. In submitting my (tenth) annual report for the year ending the 31st March, 1906, I have again to record a successful year's work at all stations. The results of operations are naturally largely influenced by the climatic conditions experienced, although a large share of credit is due to the officers in charge, as well as the staff generally. From the summaries below, it will be observed that during the ten years, since forestry operations were established, over thirty-two million trees have been raised in nurseries and plantations. Last year's crop in the nurseries totalled over eight million, while the nurseries now contain nearly fifteen million trees of one, two, and three years old. During the past year over three and a quarter million trees were planted permanently on an area of 1,435-J- acres, bringing the total area planted to date to 5,494 acres, on which are growing nearly eleven and three quarter million trees. The following tables show details of the year's operations, while detailed reports of each nursery and plantation, schedules of trees grown, expenditure, and values are appended : —

Number of Trees grown in Nurseries and Plantations, and Area planted, from September, 1896, to 31st March, 1906.

Land District. No. ' Area of Reserves. .rea planted 1905-6. 1 in ;al area plan: to Date. Auckland ... Marlborough Canterbury Otago Total ... ... 5 ... 1 2 ... 4 ... 12 A. 13,323 881 806 2,490 E. P. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 978 130 32 294 B. P. 3 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 3,131 192 491 1,678 0 2 3 3 17,500 0 0 1,435 2 0 5,494 0

Number in Nurseries, 31st March, 1906 Values. Number raised in Nurseries and Plantations, 1896 to 1906. _ Values, Number ! o . raised in i Numhm . a? ""and"' 68 ' Pta.tea 6 in £g Plantations, 1905 ~ 6 - i ga 1905-6. I S~ Total Number in Plantations, 31st March, 1906. 3-gsg *H« O.-H cfl Eweburn Nursery Tapanui Nursery Rotorua Nursery Starborough Nursery Hanmer Springs Nursery Ruatangata Nursery Naseby Plantation G immerburn Plantation Dusky Hill Plantation Conical Hi 11 s Plantation Raincliff Plantation Hanmer Springs Plantation Dumgree Plantation Whakarewarewa Plantation Waiotapu Plantation Kaingaroa Plantation Ruatangata Plantation Puhipuhi Plantation 945,950 2,565,675 7,881,400 1,533,700 £ s. d.i 1,672 13 9 4,008 13 6 10,694 7 6 2,428 17 6 1,694,582 6,635,705 17,586,971 2,165,375 £ s. d. 3,861 0 5 17,556 5 11 32,203 18 11 4,213 5 3 238,250 742,625 4,619,400 900,200 Acres Acres. . • i i 1,395,840 2,268 5 2 1,378,000 1,402 0 0 750,000 " 652,200 1,217 3 0: 934,484 2,091 13 4 483,200! .. 19,650 360,185 1324 129,100 16 223,775 76J 396,700 21,950 70,075 2,002,583 805J 605,296 239,600 623,000 278J 2,074,171 664| 50,000 206| 374,200 70,900 52,735 32| 788,270 285 365,250 130 536,086 192J 81,680 967,983 4358 2,408,186 1,4014, I 158,681 876,525 322 2,814,179 1,2154 44,275 21 7,224 22 12,600 12,600 150,460 221 274,560 471 Government domains, reserves, &c. 133,632 Totals 14,974,765 22,290 0 5 32,024,274 61,328 3 10 ' 8,078,725' 1 3,254,778 1,4354 11,717,126 5,494

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15

Summary of Expenditures and Values.

Minimum and Maximum Readings of Thermometer (Fahrenheit) and Rainfall at Various Stations for the Year.

Expenditure for Year ending 31st March, 1906. Expenditure from September, 1896, to 31st March, 1906. Value of Trees, Improvements, &c, ior Year ending 31st March, 1906. Value of Trees, Improvements, &c., from September, 1896, to 31st March, 1906. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Amount at 31st March, 1905 .. £70,300 3 5 Eweburn Nursery Tapanui Nursery Rotorua Nursery Starborough Nursery Hanmer Springs Nursery Ruatangata Nursery .. Naseby Plantation Gimmerburn Plantation Dusky Hill Plantation Conical Hills Plantation Raincliff Plantation Hanmer Springs Plantation Dumgree Plantation.. Whakarewarewa Plantation Waiotapu Plantation Kaingaroa Plains Plantation Puhipuhi Plantation Wellington Nursery (proposed) Kurow Nursery Naseby Domain Albury Plantation .. Torea Neck Reserve Waitahuna Plantation Supervision thermal reserves, &c. Clerical assistance Contingencies : Typewiiters, photographic material, telephone, stationery, books on forestry, fidelity insurances, travelling-expenses, &c. £ s. d. Value at 31st March, 1905 .. 111,799 17 6 Less value of trees and horse - feed in stock at 31st March, 1905, also tools written off during the year .. .. 28,293 9 4 895 4 10 1,516 17 6 3,827 12 4 1,362 11 6 485 14 0 1,304 13 11 87 1 9 309 19 2 487 6 0 1,872 16 11 443 7 9 1,349 19 10 2,755 15 2 684 12 4 4 0 0 P, 132 5 2 7,925 18 9 11,867 13 4 17,763 7 2 6,523 8 10 1,528 8 0 2,891 2 10 1,756 18 11 997 3 3 8,017 4 4 5,500 10 3 1,104 12 5 2,567 9 3 6,240 15 0 7,856 19 11 3,157 11 3 322 18 0 -1,866 0 1 11 3 11 750 0 0 10 0 0 72 4 11 1 7 6 39 9 7 336 16 9 . 405 0 0 265 10 8 2,552 17 3 7,234 16 0 18,271 15 0 4,587 17 11 2,441 12 10 2,475 11 7 249 0 1 851 9 8 1,410 12 11 4,350 18 3 61 15 4 1,314 19 2 3.423 5 11 6,819 18 9 6.424 13 0 26 19 9 1,594 1 0 6,340 10 7 13,083 7 2 22,690 0 1 8,230 13 0 3,034 10 6 3,553 8 2 3,524 17 7 2,064 10 3 18,930 2 1 11,664 4 4 1,367 14 11 6,079 13 7 9,245 8 6 16,629 4 11 17,618 19 4 601 13 7 2,810 4 7 750 0 0 750 0 0 750 0 0 10 0 0 72 4 11 1 7 6 39 9 7 39 9 7 39 9 7 75 0 0 94 18 9 45* 17 0 £83,506 8 2 64,881 14 0 83,506 8 2 Totals 19,479 6 6 89,779 9 11 148,388 2. 2 148,388 2 2

Temperature. Rainfall. Minimum. Maximum. Inches. Number of Days. Ewebum Nursery Tapanui Nursery Hanmer Springs Nursery... Starborough Nursery Rotorua Nursery Ruatangata Nursery Waiotapu Plantation Deg. 13 21 13 20 24 26 16 Deg. 81 90 91 96 94 89 86 17-41 43-95 62-18 33-14 49-67 52-61 46-63 113 119 164 115 169 157 185

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16

The Average Number of Workmen Employed Daily at the Various Nurseries and Plantations during the Year 1905-6.

Output of Trees from Nurseries during Year 1905-6. Number. Value. £fgj«. d. Bweburn ... ... ... ... 157,400 410* 2 0 Tapanui ... ... ... ... 713,827 2,110j17 5 Hanmer Springs... ... ... ... 35,210 61 * 4 7 Starborough ... ... ... ... 371,100 1,252 ""1 3 Rotorua ... ... ... ... 2,386,931 6,281 13 8 Ruatangata ... ... .. ... ' 158,660 408 15 2 3,823,128 £10,524 14 1 Cost of digging Pits and Tree-planting at Plantations. Digging Pits. Tree-planting. Station. Per 1,000. Per 1,000. £ s. d. £ s. d. Dumgree Plantation ... ... ... 210 6J ' 1 2 If Dusky Hill Plantation ... ... ... 019 8+ 018 3| Conical Hills Plantation ... ... ... 1 6 8J 015 1 Naseby Plantation ... ... ... ... 0 16 8 Gimmerburn Plantation ... ... ... 011 6f 017 7£ Whakarewarewa Plantation .. ... 0 15 3 0 8 11 Puhipuhi Plantation .. ... ... 016 6 015 0 Lining out Trees, Cost of, at Nurseries. Per 1,000. s. d. _ Eweburn ... ... ... ... ... 4 7J Tapanui ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 2 9|Hanmer Springs ... ... ... ... ... ... 3 7f Starborough ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 2 11J Rotorua ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 9 Ruatangata ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 4 8 Establishment of Nursery and Plantation in Kurow District, Otago. As indicated in last year's report, proposals were submitted for the acquisition of a small area for nursery purposes near Kurow. This site of 45 acres has since been acquired, and operations commenced thereon. The area selected possesses all desirable advantages for an ideal nursery— black loam overlaying a strata of porous clay, gradually merging into shingle, shelter from prevailing winds, pure water-supply at a considerable elevation, and convenient to a railway-station. The buildings consist of dwellinghouse, men's quarters, stables, and implement-sheds, and although these are somewhat old and dilapidated, are capable of being made suitable for present requirements. Existing fencing is old and worthless, and will require complete renewal at an early date. The total cost of above was £750, which sum is considered well within the estimated value. As last season's tree-seed crops at all stations were much in excess of anticipations, it is proposed to transfer about half a million seedlings to Kurow Nursery during the ensuing spring. These will be planted in nursery-lines for one season, and then sent to the plantation, thus giving this station the advantage of a year's start. Proposed Operations in Central Canterbury. For a number of years the Mackenzie County Council have been planting annually considerable areas with forest trees, the necessary funds being provided by rentals from plantation reserves throughout the county. The work done by this Council, under the energetic supervision of the Engineer, is of considerable importance both as regards the actual value of the plantations (now approaching the " pole stage") as well as the demonstration of which trees are suitable for extensive plantings for forestry purposes hereafter. Certain difficulties, however, have mitigated against carrying on continuous

Free Labour. Prison Labour. Free Labour. Prison Labour. Bweburn Nursery Tapanui Nursery ... Rotorua Nursery ... Hanmer Springs Nursery ... Starborough Nursery Ruatangata Nursery Gimmerburn Reserve Naseby Survey Plantation ... 5-33 12-25 27-16 4-50 8-83 n-oo 1-80 0-59 Dusky Hill Plantation Conical Hills Plantation Whakarewarewa Plantation Waiotapu Plantation Hanmer Springs Plantation Dumgree Plantation Puhipuhi Plantation Waitahuna Plantation (two months only) 4-50 17-75 19-10 2-51 2-00 11-12 9-58 0-44 14-19 42-56 11-58 27-06 138-46 95-39

Starborough Nursery in 1902.

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Seed-beds, Ruatangata Nursery.

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systematic forestry by the Council, the chief being uncertainty of supply ; this being dependent on private nurserymen. There is also the disadvantage of obtaining trees from widely diverse soils and climates—lnvercargill, Dunedin, Ashburton, and Christchureh—for planting on poor, dry, high-lying inland localities, subject to intense frost as well as hot drying winds. The Council's work being thus considerably hampered, it was felt that further planting operations should be undertaken by this Department, and the following letter was accordingly addressed to the Hon. Minister of Lands : — " Sic,—l have the honour, by direction of the Mackenzie County Council, to respectfully bring under your notice the advisability of establishing a forest-tree nursery in this county—say, at Silverstrearn. " My Council would point out that the Mackenzie County is exceedingly favourably adapted to the growing of forest trees, and at present, with the exception of a few plantations, is almost treeless. They would further point out that there are numerous reserves of Crown lands laid aside specially for tree-planting. lam to say that the Council hope you will give this matter your favourable consideration.—l have, &c, " E. L. Banks, " The Hon. Minister of Lands, Wellington." Clerk to Council." The reply to above being favourable, instructions were issued to report on the scheme and submit proposals for the acquisition of a suitable block of land for nursery purposes. Two sites have been inspected—one close to Fairlie, and another some seven miles distant, on the main Mount Cook Eoad—but neither are deemed altogether desirable. Another area has, however, been under consideration, and no doubt before next report is issued operations will be in progress. Changes in the Staff. Owing to the lamented deaths of Mr. James Henderson, Forester at Waiotapu, and Mr. Manuel Stark, Nurseryman in Charge at Hanmer Springs, several changes were rendered necessary. Mr. William Cromb, first Assistant at Starborough Nursery, took charge at Hanmer Springs, and was afterwards transferred to Starborough as Nurseryman in Charge, vice Mr. N. Craig, appointed to the position of Nurseryman in Charge at Kurow. Mr. T. B. Curie, Assistant Forester at Waiotapu, succeeded Mr. Henderson as Forester in Charge at that station for some months before being promoted to Officer in Charge at Hanmer Springs, whilst Mr. Eoderick McEae, from Conical Hills Plantation, succeeded Mr. Curie at Waiotapu. Eegenebation of Native Foeests. Last year's report contained proposals for the perpetuation of our kauri forests, but so far the information sought from the Auckland Commissioner has not been received. During an extended visit to Westland and Southern Nelson particular attention was given to the possibility of regenerating the silver-pine (Dacrydium Colensoi —erroneously called D. Westlandicum in Kirk's " Forest Flora ")—and yellow silver-pine {Dacrydium intermedium). As is well known, these timbers are largely used for railway-sleepers and telegraph-poles, for which purpose they are unrivalled for durability. In Westland the sawmillers and sleeper-getters do not seem to distinguish between silverpine and yellow silver-pine, both species being utilised for similar purposes. The former extends from West Wanganui Inlet, Nelson, southwards to Martin's Bay, in Otago, and from sea-level to 3,000 ft. altitude ; although the largest trees seem to be found at comparatively low altitudes and on swampy, sour land, which is absolutely unfit for any other purpose than the growth of this valuable timber-tree. It is significant that, during a full month's constant travelling in Westland, I could not find a single silver-pine tree large enough for cutting as a fencing-post, although inquiries were made from the Commissioner and from the Crown Lands Eangers who accompanied me on my visit. Sleeper-cutters seem to have practically cut out the whole of this timber within reasonable distance of horse-tracks or roads, and in doing so have destroyed millions of young seedling trees in " snigging" or in squaring posts or sleepers, and then putting a match to the tops and chips. The visitor to a West Coast forest cannot fail to observe myriads of seedling trees of all kinds, which germinate in the vicinity of a recently felled tree. So soon as an opening is made in the forest by removal of trees, thus giving the necessary light for germination, countless numbers of seedlings subsequently appear. Here we find Nature renewing the forest with a lavish hand, while her efforts are frustrated by fire and stock. The whole of the West Coast Crown lands, whether forest or open, are available as a cattlerun on the payment of a small fee to the local bodies. There are a number of scenic reserves containing magnificent specimens of rimus, kahikatea, matai, &c, in addition to the usual undergrowth, shrubs and ferns ; and, although heavy penalties are enforced for the destruction of any plant, shrub, or tree by man, cattle have free access to wander where they please. In the Official Year-book, 1904, page 643, the Commissioner of Crown Lands says, "All over the coastal lands, along the slopes of the lower hills, and in the bottoms of the valleys large herds of cattle are bred and fattened on the dense undergrowth of the forest." Being in the goldfields area, the Commissioner of Crown Lands has no jurisdiction over ordinary forest lands, the licenses to cut timber being granted by the Warden, while few State forests exist in the district. In a recent parliamentary paper (C.-6, of 1905) a report was furnished on the "Timber Industry of New Zealand." From this report it will be seen that there are fifty-one sawmills working in Westland, employing 609 hands, and cutting 37,250,000 ft. of timber—chiefly red, white, and silver pine—per annum. No information, however, is given as to the number of sleeper-getters, nor the approximate quantity of timber thus utilised. In 1904, however, 857,777 silver-pine sleepers were cut. . (Year-book, 1904.)

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18

It is stated that " three-fourths of Wesfcland is untouched as regards timber," and that the total quantity available both on private and Crown lands is 6,776,300,000 superficial feet, covering an area of 2,183,358 acres, or an average of 3,104 superficial feet per acre. Particulars as to the southern portion of Nelson are not at present available. It must be remembered that a very large proportion of the West Coast is very inaccessible— narrow valleys with steep, shingly hillsides—from whence it is impossible to remove timber at remunerative rates; while as the mountains are ascended the timber decreases in size, and over 4,000 ft., there seems to be no arboreal vegetation. In these deep valleys, and on the lands above 2,000 ft. altitude, it would be a fatal mistake to allow timber to be removed. It is not the actual removal of mature trees which is to be feared, but the wholesale destruction that inevitably follows. In felling trees the tops and branches are left to rot or burn, to remove the timber tracks are necessarily opened out, and are made use of by cattle which destroy and keep down undergrowth, the thin coating of vegetable deposit is gradually washed away, and in time nothing is left but barren hillsides, from which the rain-water pours off to swell streams and rivers, with disastrous effects to the lower valleys. None the less important is the clearing of forests along the banks of rivers, as is at present proceeding north of Inangahua Junction, on the Buller Eiver. Here it is evident that the usual chain-reserve regulation is being entirely disregarded, destroying both the' magnificent scenery and the natural protection of river-banks against erosion during floods. There is also grave danger to bridges by an accumulation of logs and other debris against piles or cylinders, whilst at the mouth of the river (where dredging operations are necessary to keep the bar open) a considerable amount of time and money is annually expended in removing timber brought down from the cleared flats along river-banks. While on this subject it may not be out of place to draw attention to the disastrous results which will eventually follow the clearing of blackberry along many of the river-banks of Westland, Nelson, and Marlborough. Under the Noxious Weeds Act settlers are compelled to clear their land of this pest; but as in many cases it has entirely supplanted the natvie vegetation as a protective covering to the banks of streams and rivers, its total eradication will certainly be followed by the loss of valuable lands, while much labour and heavy expenditure will be necessary to prevent further encroachment. From the foregoing the general conclusions may be summarised : — (1.) Silver and yellow pine of marketable dimensions are rapidly being cut out, except in (at present) inaccessible situations. (2.) These pines—the most lasting and durable of all known pines—are being converted into sleepers to the number of at least one million annually, while large quantities are being utilised for other works. (3.) In recently cut-out areas seedlings are appearing in countless numbers, but owing to fire and stock the majority of these perish. (4.) That lands On which these pines are chiefly found is absolutely worthless for other purposes. (5.) That the sources of rivers and streams should be protected from operations by the sleepergetter. (6.) Owing to the non-observance of the law in regard to chain reserves along rivers, irreparable damage is being done. - (7.) Only three small timber areas have been declared State forests in Westland, consequently the Conservator of Forests has little control. The question to be considered is, whether the cut-out forest lands of the West Coast are to be conserved under proper regulations with the object of securing a continuous supply of timber for all time, or are they to remain in their present state—merely as cattle-runs ? Delay in deciding this important matter is fatal to successful results, in this way : Mature trees which supply the necessary seed for the perpetuation of the forest are being rapidly cut out, and it will be too late to think of conserving with a view to natural reproduction when seedbearing parent trees are all removed, unless transplanting of seedlings is resorted to—an exceedingly costly method compared with natural regeneration. It is premature to submit proposals for conservation until the main issue is decided, and I earnestly urge that due consideration will be given this important subject an an early date. Plantation Ebseeves. In previous reports (1902-3 and 1903-4) attention was drawn to the necessity for setting aside or acquiring lands throughout the colony for plantation purposes. Every year the demand for land increases, and unless Crown lands are reserved for this purpose in the near future plantation-work must cease in many portions of the colony where nurseries are already established. In Tapanui district the Department propose resuming four small grazing-runs adjoining Conical Hills Plantation. The total area is 2,622 acres 2 roods 11 poles, while the cost of resumption will be about £750. This will be a sufficient area to maintain the present rate of planting for from six to eight years. At Maniototo there are only 500 acres available for planting, the remaining numerous plantation reserves being merely narrow strips of land fit for shelter purposes only. In the Kurow district (where operations are already in progress) there is no land available for planting, but the question of resuming Crown lands now under lease is being considered. This year's operations will complete the present area at Hanmer Springs, and during the summer it is proposed to remove the present prison-camp to a 500-acre block of Crown lands some two miles further on—adjacent to Jollies Pass. There are ample and suitable Crown lands in this district, but at present they are leased as runs,

Starborough Nursery from Railway-line.

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Starborough Nursery in 1905.

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A difficulty in regard to the resumption of portions of pastoral runs is that the lessees are deprived of the low country for wintering their stock. I nfortunately, however, trees cannot be grown either successfully or profitably at high altitudes, and there is a possibility of curtailing winter country (if acquired for forestry purposes) to such an extent that the remaining portions are unworkable. , . ~_• ■ In central Marlborough. there remains only sufficient land to continue planting operations tor two years, while no Crown lands whatever, suitable for plantations, are available for this purpose. In the far North we have ample State forest reserves, on the Puhipuhi Block, to maintain present output for many years ; but the demand for land is so pressing that there is a danger of such reserves being opened for settlement. Botorua district is, fortunately, well supplied—indeed, the area available may be said to be practically unlimited. Adjoining the Waiotapu Plantation it is proposed to ring-fence some 3,000 acres on tne block known as Maungakakaramea Eeserve, and, later on, to remove the present prison-camp to a central site within this area. ,'-.,-,, .» • m 1 ■ In addition to the districts already mentioned, large areas should be set aside in iaranaKi, Hawke's Bay, Wellington, Nelson, Westland, and Southland. Planting Old-tailing Aeeas. At the recent mining conference, held in Wellington, the following resolution was carried : " That this conference recommend that old-tailing areas should, where suitable, be planted with forest trees." Officers of the Mines Department indicated a desirable area for experimental purposes near Waitahuna, on the Lawrence branch-railway. This locality was duly inspected and reported on as favourable for tree-growing, and subsequently an area of about 11 acres was selected, fenced, and preparations made to plant same with a variety of forest trees. This work will be completed during the coming spring. • _ ;_ The successful growth of trees on "dredged ' areas has already been demonstrated at Waikaka and other places in the Gore district, where larch, spruce, alder, pines, and other trees are thriving amazingly. In considering the question of tree-planting on mining reserves, the possibility of or otherwise reworking of tailings should not be lost sight of. New and cheaper methods of treating large quanties of material are constantly being discovered, and what is at present considered unpayable ground may in time be deemed sufficiently rich for reworking. Another matter in "connection with old tailings deserves special mention. In almost every portion of Otago, Southland, and the West Coast, where dredging or sluicing operations have been in progress for some time, gorse, broom, and other noxious weeds spring up and cover the ground with" alarming rapidity. Holders of claims do not seem to be held responsible for the suppression of such growths, but, whether the land is subsequently reworked by dredges or utilised for planting purposes, a heavy expenditure will be involved in clearing and eradicating. The Department of Mines also suggested an area of 1,000 acres on the Waikaka commonage as suitable for planting. On inspection, however, it was found that, owing to the block being intersected by several roads (which would render fencing an expensive item) and the enormous cost of clearing the area of broom and gorse, it was decided that no action be taken in the meanThe Inspecting Engineer, in his recommendations, writes as follows : " The local body does not appear to be doing anything to check the spread of gorse, which is now growing on this reserve • and if something is not done at an early date to check the gorse the be carried down the valley, and lead to considerable areas of land being prejudicially affected." Prison Labour. From the reports of the Foresters in charge of the tree-planting by prisoners it will be seen that on the whole, this class of work has been satisfactory. At Hanmer Springs, Dumgree, and Waipa (Whakarewarewa) Prison-camps the lorester in Charge personally directs planting operations; but at Waiotapu Plantation instructions have been issued that the Forester is to communicate his wishes to the Gaoler, who will instruct the warders, the latter directing the prisoners, and that the planting of trees by prisoners at Waiotapu is entirely in the hands of the Justice Department. The Haedy Catalpa (Catalpa speciosa). The numerous inquiries for information in regard to this tree call for some remarks on the experience of the Department. During the spring of 1903 a large number were raised from seed, and by the end of the following autumn these plants had made rapid growth, averaging 9m. m height The following spring they were transplanted into nursery-rows, and for about twelve months they remained in about the same state as when transplanted. During the past summer they h»,ve made better growth, but the best progress is noticeable where the trees are sheltered and in the lower-lying and damper portions of the ground, but the crop as a whole is unsatisfSif*tjOl*V The chief cause of failure are unseasonable frosts which are inevitable in this district during the early summer months. A variety of situations were tried—low-lying, moist, dry, and exposed— but the results in all cases were the same. Given an equable climate and a fair amount of natural shelter, I am of opinion that the Catalpa speciosa would thrive even on poor soil. _ The best results, however, are to be got on moderately rich, well-drained land, with ah average rainfall and plenty of shelter; without these conditions it is useless to hope for success. In order to further test its adaptability in various portions of the North Island, it is proposed to supply lots of from 100 to 1,000 trees to settlers at a nominal charge.

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Gbnbeal. My connection with the Scenery Preservation Commission terminated on the 31st March, from which date I resumed my ordinary duties, and I have to thank Mr. HA. Goudie, Nurseryman in Charge at Rotorua, for the able manner in which he has carried on the supervision of the Department during the year, as well as the compilation of this report. The following are the reports of various stations.

EwEBUEN NuESEEY. (Area, 49 acres; altitude, 1,400 ft.) During the past year rain fell on 113 days, with a total of 1741 in., the maximum monthly fall being 382 in recorded in January. The minimum shade temperature, 13 deg. Fahr., was registered on the 7th June, and frost occurred on 170 nights. The highest temperature was 81 dec on the 13th December. ■ . , . Frost occurred during every month of the year, and the rainfall was somewhat higher than last year, and distributed over a greater number of days. . The total rainfall since the inception of the nursery is 15423 in., or an average of 1659 m. for the past nine years, and the number of days on which rain has fallen is 759 The highest reading of the thermometer was 96 deg., in February, 1896, and tins temperature has yjj^j | J[f^ r jJ l^ g JJJ , 5 k * erv dry one, and it was feared that the lined-out trees would suffer, but as rain set in directly after planting the situation was saved, and the crop is the finest grown since the initiation of the nursery. , , • Pinus maritime, which was grown for experimental purposes, made very good growth and transplanted well. Pinus halepensis have also made very good growth, although they were a total failure the previous year after being lined out, owing to the damp condition of the soil consequent 00 the seed-beds have made fair growth, but the crop of Pmns Laricio was not as good as it should be, and a large number " damped off" after germinating. -. Larch is a very good crop, and all the other varieties sown have done well. One pound ot seed each of Pinus Jeffreyii and Pinus Torreyana was sown for trial, and both have grown satisfactorily, but as they have not yet had a winter to contend with it is hard to give a definite opinion as to their suitability for extensive growing here. The number of trees " lined out" was 356,636, at a cost of 4s. 7Jd. per 1,000. The number of trees sent out to Government plantations during the year was 15/.4UU, their octrees sent out to date amounts to 772,562, and their value £2,257 9s. sd. • The number of trees of various ages in the nursery at the 31st March was 945,950, their total value being £1 672 13s. 9d.; and the number raised since the commencement of operations is 1 694,582, of a' value of £3,861 os. sd. The details of the preceding figures will be found m Schedules Ato A 3 (appended), and the summaries. a a During the year the horse and hand hoes have been kept in use as much as possible, and weeds, &c kept from seeding. ~ . , , , . Land not required for -planting was utilised for growing horse-feed, and an area ot about 4 acres was sown down in oats, the yield being 11 tons of good oaten sheaf. Although the rainfall was not heavy, this shows what can be grown in this district with good cultivation A new stable and workshop of wood, with concrete foundation, was erected. The old workshop has been converted into men's quarters, and is now convenient and comfortable. The whole ot these improvements were carried out by nursery labour. The average number of men employed during the year was five (day-wages). Details of expenditure, values, &c, will be found on schedules appended. The following is a record of rainfall and temperature for the year: —

Eweburn Nursery.

A. W. Roberts, Nurseryman in Charge.

Month. Rainfall. Number of Days Rain fell. Maximum Temperature. Date. Minimum Temperature. Date. Number of Days on which Frost occurred. 1905. April ... May ... June ... July ... August September October November December 1906. Inohes. 1-65 0-70 1-47 0-69 0-38 1-63 0-92 2-01 1-71 11 4 8 7 6 13 8 13 15 Degrees. 68 62 50 48 48 54 60 76 81 • 1st 10th 21st, 25th 23rd 2nd, 31st 25th 5th, 6th, 17th 13th 13th Degrees. 22 16 14 14 16 25 21 26 26 23rd 25th 3rd 4th 11th 25th 11th 24th 24th 13 23 28 31 29 17 9 7 2 January February March 3-82 2-07 : 0-36 14 10 4 78 74 73 11th 11th,14th 2nd 28 31 25 7th 20th 30th 4 2 5 Totals 17-41 113 170

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Naseby Survey Paddock Plantation. (Area, 17fl acres; altitude, 1,700 ft.) All trees at the above plantation have made very satisfactory growth. During the year weeds have been kept down around the smaller trees, and a strip of land ploughed around the fence-line in case of fire from outside.. Trees to the number of 19,650 were used to fill up blanks with Pinus ponderosa, in place of Pseudo-tsuga taxifolia, which have proved useless here. The area planted, therefore, remains at 132| acres, and the total number of trees in the plantation at 360,183. The cost of planting trees was 16s. Bd. per 1,000. Statements of expenditure and values are appended. A. W. Bobbbts, Nurseryman in Charge.

GIMMEBBUEN ReSEBVE. (Area, 420 acres; altitude, 1,200 ft.) The trees ao the above plantation have made satisfactory growth, considering that there have been two dry seasons in succession. Trees planted last season have made better growth than those planted during the previous year, many having put on fully 6 in. of vertical growth for the season. The larch planted this season did not do well, and there will probably be about one-third succumb. The ground was very dry and rough and the trees were off the seed-beds, which may account for this failure. The rainfall would probably not amount to more than half of what was recorded at Eweburn, hence the difficulty of getting trees to succeed the first year. As the ground is very hard and lumpy, it has been decided to crop the next 100 acres with oats or turnips prior to planting with trees. Pinus Austriaca, growing not a mile away from this plantation reserve, are known to have attained a height of from 8 ft. to 10 ft. in seven years. Trees planted during the year number 129,100, and the new area covered was 16 acres. The plantation now contains 223,775 trees, which occupy an area of 76J acres. The average cost of planting and digging half-holes was 17s. 7-J-d. per 1,000, and the cost of pitting 11s. 6d. per 1,000. The average number employed during the year was one man (wages). An area of 68 acres was sown down in oats, and the estimated yield is 2,000 bushels, which will be distributed to the various nurseries. Two new " paroid " huts have been erected on skids for the use of the workmen, making very warm dwellings, which are much appreciated. These are each 14 ft. by 12 ft., and are lined throughout with tongued and grooved timber. Details of expenditure, values, &c, as per statements appended. A. W. Eobeets, Nurseryman in Charge.

Tapanui Nueseey. (Area, 120 acres ; altitude, 500 ft.) During the past year rain fell on 119 days, with a total of 43-95 in., the maximum monthly fall being 6-45 in., recorded in October. The minimum shade temperature (21 deg.) was registered on the 2nd July, and the highest (90 deg.) on the 15th February. An excellent mild winter was experienced, and for the months of May, June, July, and August a total rainfall of only 7-53 in. was recorded. During the four following months, when favourable weather is essential to successful nursery operations, no less than 23-10 in. of rain fell, causing considerable delay in work, and to a great extent interfering with subsequent progress in tree-growth. Hardwood-seed sowing was carried on in the early part of July, the usual amounts of ash, oak, and sycamore being sown with fair results. Preparations were made for conifer-seed sowing on the 4th October, and this work, through repeated breaks in the weather, was not completed until the 23rd October. Heavy continuous rain immediately followed, and a hard crust soon formed on the surface of the seed-beds. Notwithstanding this, an average germination resulted in all species, with the exception of Picea sitchensis and Pseudo-tsuga taxifolia. The continued absence of sunshine and warmth was responsible for the damping-off of fully two-thirds of the entire larch-crop, and the estimate of one-year-old seedlings of all species was reduced to 742,625. The two-year-old trees in seed-beds, although not making the average growth, are mostly healthy plants, and a large percentage of the total—l,242,soo —is sufficiently strong for permanent planting this year. Lining out. —Transplanting of one- and two-year-old trees was commenced on the 17th August, and extended over five weeks. During that period 523,700 seedlings were transferred to nurserylines at a cost of 2s. 9-£ per 1,000. The percentage of deaths in this operation was very slight, although their growth is only consistent with the backward season experienced. Two years ago about 70,000 Picea excelsa were lined out, but their stunted appearance at the termination of the season made it necessary to allow for an extra year's growth. These have developed into well-grown, f brous-rooted trees, averaging about 9 in. in height. The total number of tmss of all ages in the nursery at present is estimated at 2,565,675, valued at £4,008 13s. 6d.

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During the winter months 713,827 trees, as per Schedule 83, and valued at £2,110 17s. 5d., were transferred to the following plantations, domains, &c.: Conical Hills Plantation, 623,000 ; Dusky Hill Plantation, 70,075 ; Hanmer Springs Plantation, 17,525 ; Industrial School, Burnham, 2,220; Domain Board, Gore, 90; Tourist Department, Hanmer Springs, 200; Tourist Department, Queenstown, 392 ; Beautifying Association, Waikoikoi, 325. Eight thousand five hundred Bobinia pseudo-acacia and 100 berberis were received from Eweburn Nursery. The former were sized, and 6,975 sent to Conical Hills Plantation, the remainder being lined out for another year. One hundred Gatalpa speciosa from Eotorua Nursery were also planted, but the first year's growth would indicate that the Catalpa species are not suited to this climate. The total number of trees grown to the 31st March, 1906, is 6,635,705, being valued at £17,556 ss. lid. ; and the total number of trees transferred to plantations, &c, since the initiation of nursery is 4,122,330, representing a value of £13,643 4s. sd. The shelter and ornamental plantations laid out during the past three years are making rapid headway, and many of the trees at the southern boundary of nursery have grown to a height of fully 12 ft. 1,770 additional shelter trees and shrubs were planted out permanently in various exposed corners of property. Buildings : The galvanised-iron sizing-shed, erected in May last, has uot only enabled all winter work to be carried on with greater facility, but has proved itself indispensable as a tool-house and shelter-shed during stormy weather. All ground reserved for coming season's lining-out operations is now in good order, having in the early spring received a double ploughing to a depth of about 10 in., and since remained in fallow. Minor improvements in the form of draining, road-inaking, extension of shrubbery, and general maintenance were also effected. The expenditure for the year amounted to £1,516 17s. 6d., providing employment for an average of twelve men. The three yearling fillies are developing into useful-looking animals, and their value has been increased to £15 per head. About 35 tons of oaten sheaf were harvested from the extension property, but as we have now six horses and four yearlings to provide for, a considerable amount of this yield will have to be chaffed for our requirements. About 8 tons of rye and clover, and 4f tons of carrots, especially grown for winter horse-feed, were also harvested under favourable conditions. Details of trees grown and statements of expenditure for the year are appended. The following is a record of rainfall and temperature for the year : —

E. G. Eobinson, Nurseryman in Charge.

Dusky Hill Plantation. (Area, 845 acres; altitude, 400 ft. to 800 ft.) Satisfactory progress has been made in growth of all trees in this plantation, with the exception of ash, spruce, and sycamore that are planted in situations exposed to the prevailing winds. The season has been an exceptionally wet and cold one, and not at all conducive to rapid progress of these unsheltered trees. A violent hail-storm passed over the plantation, and in consequence many of the larch leaders were broken. As a result, double leaders were found issuing from the heads of injured trees ; but,on the removal of one of these shoots the trees quickly outgrew any apparent defects through the injury. Trees to the number of 70,075 (as per Schedule B 8 ) were planted throughout where failures resulted in previous plantings, at a cost of 18s. 8-|d. per thousand. It is anticipated that an additional twenty thousand trees, planted next year, will complete replanting operations, and more time may be given to the general maintenance of the plantation.

Month. Rainfall. Number of Days Rain fell. Highest Reading of Thermometer. Date. j I Lowest Reading of Thermometer. Date. 1905. Inches. 3-99 1-94 2-60 1-09 1-90 5-62 6-45 5-57 5-46 Degrees. 31 25 22 21 24 30 29 35 34 I 18th 26th 28th 2nd 28th 9th 3rd 3rd, 10th 31st I April ... May ... June ... July ... August September October November December 1906. 14 5 10 3 6 13 7 15 14 Degrees. 78 70 59 64 65 63 75 88 85 6th 6th, 11th 15th 21st 26th 6th 7th 13th 9th, 13th January February March... 3-12 2-70 3-51 18 12 12 85 90 83 13th 11th 15th 36 37 31 2nd, 22nd 15th 10th Totals... 43-95 119

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Ground was prepared, and 21,950 acorns planted in situ where vacancies occurred, at a cost of 14s. 7-Jd. per thousand. An expenditure of £230 os. 2d. was incurred in general maintenance. This item includes clearing fern from around young trees, pruning, ploughing roads and firebreaks, and making drains. About 16 chains of track were formed —costing 4s. per chain —to give access to various parts of the plantation. A considerable amount of time was spent in removing manuka scrub, which has grown strongly since last cutting. This work is necessary, as the scrub in being blown about by the wind comes in contact with the leaders of trees growing within reach, and causes direct injury to the same. Cutting Canadian thistle and ragwort also provided a fair amount of labour during seedingtime, but as the trees make headway the spreading of noxious weeds will be gradually suppressed. The average height of trees planted during the first year's operations on this plantation is about 13 ft., and through the absence of sunshine, caused by branches of trees forming a canopy overhead, undergrowing vegetation is fast becoming extinct. The expenditure for the year amounted to £487 65., giving employment to an average of four men. Details of expenditure and values are appended. F. Benfell, Assistant Forester. E. G. Robinson, Nurseryman in Charge.

Conical Hills Plantation. (Area, 1,050 acres; altitude, 400 ft.) Notwithstanding the absence of warm forcing weather, a very favourable growth has been made by trees planted throughout, and pines may be specially mentioned in this respect. Trees to the number of 623,000 (as per Schedule B 3 ) were planted, occupying an area of 228f acres, and the preparation of ground for the planting of 239,600 acorns was carried on by day-labour, at a cost of 14s. 3Jd. per thousand. The area for the year's planting amounted to 278J acres, making a total of 664f- acres, containing 2,074,171 trees. Pits to the number of 464,070 for tree-planting were made by contract, at £1 ss. per thousand, this cost being increased to £1 6s. B|d. by inclusion of Forester's salary. 98,689 grubber-pits were also prepared by contract, at £1 per thousand ; actual cost, £1 Is. 6-J-d. Eoad-formation was continued, about 147 chains being ploughed and partly formed in readiness for the coming season's delivery of trees. One hundred and thirty-seven chains of additional firebreaks were ploughed outside boundaryfence to minimise the risk of fires from adjoining properties. Pinus radiata, to the number of 6,075, were planted on ridges as breakwinds. Although many of the trees were rather large for transferring to such exposed places, only a small percentage failed to succeed. General maintenance : A large amount of work is now necessary in clearing fern and other growth from young trees, and it has been specially noticed that this work is accomplished with more satisfactory results if carried out before spring-time, as a very decided check to growth is noticeable when removal of immediate shelter is undertaken whilst the young trees are making their annual growth. Pruning, cutting gorse and manuka scrub, and the removal of noxious weeds, and rabbiting were also carried on. It is anticipated that the whole of the ground available for pitting on this plantation will be completed before the expiration of another season, and in. view of this fact an additional area of about 1,600 acres adjoining the plantation has been recently acquired for forestry purposes, and fencing and pitting operations will be carried on in this extension during the ensuing year. For the next season about 900,000 trees and acorns will be available for planting. The expenditure for the year amounted to £1,872 16s. lid., providing work for an average of seventeen men. Details of expenditure and values are appended. H. Howe, Forester. E. G. Robinson, Nurseryman in Charge.

Waitahuna Plantation, Otago. (Dredged area, 11 acres; altitude, 331 ft.) To test the suitability of old dredged areas for forest-tree planting, an area of 11 acres immediately adjoining the township, on the southern side, has been selected for the purpose, and operations were commenced eai'ly in February last. Forty-three chains of wire-netting fence were erected by day-labour, at 4s. 6d. per chain, and included in this cost is extra labour in levelling off to some extent the fence-line, where tailing deposits have naturally created an uneven surface. As may be expected, these dredged areas when lying idle are easily and speedily converted into prolific gorse wastes by the seed being conveyed by floods, or else blown from hedges in the vicinity and deposited there, where germination readily follows. An expenditure of £25 is necessary to clear the enclosure of this scrub before pitting for treeplanting can be proceeded with. It would be to the interest of the Government and landholders generally if lessees of dredgingclaims were required to keep noxious-weed growth in check during the currency of their lease, as

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the spread of gorse and broom to properties lower down the valleys will likely in the near future prove disastrous to holders of properties in that direction if the matter is not attended to. Drains were made at various places through the property to assist in draining the low-lying portions. It is proposed to prepare 30,000 pits during the coming winter, in readiness for planting the enclosed area with suitable hardy trees in the early spring-time. The expenditure incurred since the initiation amounted to £39 9s. 7d.—total cost of fencing material not included—providing employment for two men for two months. Details of expenditure and values are appended. D. Bisk, Foreman. B. G. Bobinson, Nurseryman in Charge.

Hanmer Springs Nursbey. (Area, 20 acres ; altitude, 1,225 ft. (approximately).) During the past year rain fell on 164 days, with a total of 62-18 in. September and February were the wettest months, 10-45 and 10-37 in. respectively being recorded. The maximum shade temperature (91 deg. Fahr.) occurred on the 13th December, and the minimum, 13 deg., on the sth June. No records of the rainfall were taken previous to this year, so that a comparison with other years cannot be made ; but old residents regard the rainfall as the heaviest experienced for many years. Seed-sowing was commenced on the 31st October—fully a fortnight later than the year previous—and was finished on the 6th November. All species germinated well, and are a good crop, with the exception of Oregon pine, this being practically a failure. As only 3 lb. was sown, the loss was not great. Lining out was started early in August, and finished on the 20th September, 416,840 trees being dealt with, at a cost of 3s. 7Jd. per thousand, the area occupied by the same being about 4-J--acres. Trees to the number of 118,000, comprising larch, Oregon, and Aleppo pines, were lined out, at a cost of 2s. 5Jd. per 1,000. Showery weather was experienced while the work of transplanting was in progress, giving the trees a splendid start, and all have done well, except Pinus halepensis, of which fully 30 per cent, have died. Apparently this tree is not suitable for planting at Hanmer. The number of trees raised in the nursery during the year was 750,000, valued at £759 ss. (See Schedule E.) The estimated number of trees in the nursery on the 31st March, 1906, was 1,395,840 (see Schedules Eto E 2 ), valued at £2,268 ss. 2d. The total number of trees grown in the nursery since its initiation is 1,378,000, valued at £1,402. Trees —number, 35,210, valued at £61 4s. 7d.—were transferred from the nursery to the plantation. The estimated number available for the coming season is 400,000. Nine new seed-frames were made by prison labour in a very satisfactory manner. About 2 acres of scrub was cleared off a portion of the nursery area, and the ground ploughed and cultivated in readiness for lining-out purposes next season. The average number of labourers (free) employed during the year was four (including one boy). Details of expenditures and values, and schedules of trees are appended. The following is a record of rainfall and temperature for the year : —

W. Cromb, Nurseryman in Charge.

Month. Rainfall. I Number j| of Days |! Rain fell. I I Maximum! Tempera- J ture. Date. Minimum Temperature. Date. 1905. Inches. 2-85 3-07 7-705 Degrees. 83 69 64 Degrees, 27 25 13 April ... May ... June ... 10 10 14 1st 10th 14th, 23rd, 24th 24th 18th 17th, 18th 24th 5th, 29th 13th 19th 19th, 26th 5th July ... August September October November December 1906. 4-01 3-45 10-45 5-28 4-67 3-135 11 13 21 14 14 13 66 68 66 74 78 91 17 18 29 26 32 34 3rd, 4th 11th 2nd 15th 12th, 16th 2nd, 24th January February March 4-13 10-37 306 17 16 11 86 81 82 14th 2nd 2nd 32 33 30 7th, 24th 19th, 20th 14th, 27th Totals... 62-18 164

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Hanmeb Speings Plantation. (Area, 600 acres, approximate; altitude, 1,225 ft.) The past year has been an exceptionally good one for plantation-work, an abundant rainfall being recorded all through the year. The trees have done well, the past season's planting being a thorough success. The older trees in the plantation have made good growth, and larch in many instances have grown 3 ft. to 4 ft. Owing to rains and heavy frosts in June, about five thousand Norway spruce, planted on a swampy piece of land, were thrown out of the ground. Losses of this sort can scarcely be guarded against. Acorns planted in situ during the year numbered 70,900, and 52,735 trees were planted, making a total of 123,635 (see Schedule E 3 ). Of this number 11,690 trees and 23,500 acorns were used to fill up blanks in previous plantings. The area planted during the year was 32f acres. The total number of trees in the plantation to date is 788,270, of which 374,200 have been grown from seed sown in situ. The area planted to date is 285 acres. Marking 315,760 pits by free labour, for prisoners to open, cost Bs. 2-Jd. per thousand. 286,600 pits are available for the coming season's planting. To drain several swamps 132 chains of drains were cut, at a cost of 4s. 4d. per chain. A tool-house and implement-shed was built by a prisoner, the workmanship being all that could be desired. Land to the extent of 92 acres was cleared of scrub during the year for tree-planting purposes. By doing a little rabbiting occasionally the pest has been kept well down, and no damage has been done by them. The expenditure for 1905-6 was £443 7s. 9d., the total expenditure since the initiation of the plantation being £2,567 9s. 3d. The value of improvements for the year 1905-6 was £1,314 19s. 2d., the total value since the beginning of the plantation being £6,079 13s. 7d. The average daily number of free men employed during the year was two. It is expected that next season will complete the planting of the present enclosure, and preparations are being made to fence in a new block. A portion has been cleared of scrub in readiness for pitting operations, and a part of the fence-line chipped. Fencing will be commenced shortly. Prison labour has again been very satisfactory, the value of the work done amounting to £563 18s. 2d., or an average of £48 13s. lid. for each of the 1158 men employed during the year. The work has been well performed, and the thanks of the Department are due to the prison officers for the ready assistance given in carrying out the various works as directed. Statements of expenditures and values are appended. W. Ceomb, Assistant Forester.

Stabbokouoh Nueseby. (Area, 104 acres; altitude, 100 ft.) Rain fell on 115 days during the year, with a total fall of 33-14 in. The maximum temperature recorded was 96 deg. and the minimum 20 deg. The rainfall for the past year has been much above the average for this district. Old settlers state that a similar season was experienced thirtytwo years ago. In a dry district like South Marlborough the visible results of a bountiful rainfall are very marked. The work at the nursery shows in a striking degree the influence of a moist season in the germination of the seeds, the vigour of the seedlings, and the larger number of plants produced per pound of seed sown. Trees in shelter-belts and shrubberies have made wonderful growth, and now afford considerable protection to young nursery-stock. Seedling trees (one year old) : Seed-sowing began on the 29th September and finished on the sth October. With the exception of one or two small lots every variety sown has germinated well. The seedlings are strong and healthy, and on the whole are a first-rate crop. Two-year-old trees have made fine growth, and are strong, healthy stuff. Lining out trees : This work was begun on the 7th August and finished on the 13th September. The weather experienced during this period was showery, but on the whole favourable. The transplanted larch have made very strong growth, and are an excellent crop. The one-year Pinus Laricio that were lined out have done well, and the improved condition of the roots should give much better results when these trees are transferred to plantations. Trees to the number of 642,000 were lined out, at a cost of 2s. llfd. per thousand, over an area of 5 acres 3 roods. The number of trees raised during the year was 900,200, valued at £870 17s. 6d. ; and the number of trees in the nursery at the 31st March was 1,533,700, valued at £2,428 17s. 6d. The estimated number of trees available for planting out in plantations is 600,000. The total number of trees raised in the nursery from 1901 to 1906 is 2,165,375, valued at £4,213 ss. 3d. During the year 371,100 trees were sent to plantations, &c, and their value was £1,252 Is. 3d. The total output of trees to plantations from 1901-6 is 631,675, valued at £1,784 7s. 9d. The expenditure for the year was-£1,362 11s. 6d.. and the total expenditure to 31st March, 1906, was £6,523 Bs. 10d. The value of stock, improvements, &c, for the year is £4,587 17s. lid., and the total value to March, 1906, £8,230 13s.

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The nursery-formation, roading, shelter-belts and shrubberies (outlined five years ago) have now been completed. The shelter-belts have made fine growth, and are an object-lesson to settlers in this treeless portion of Marlborough. Men's quarters : This much-needed work is now completed. Every convenience for the com fort of the men has been provided, and should assist in making them more contented, and cause them to take greater interest in the work of the Department. Horse-feed to the value of £113 was grown during the year, and 110 pounds' worth was sent to other nurseries. The daily average number of men employed was eight. Details of expenditure, values, and schedules of stock are appended. The following is a record of rainfall and temperature for the year : —

N. Craig, Nurseryman in Charge.

Dumgeee Plantation. (Area, 881 acres; altitude, 100 ft.) The work for the year has been done partly by free labour and partly by prisoners. Free men were employed as follows : Pitting—26B,sl3 pits were dug at a cost of £2 10s. 6f-d. per thousand. Planting—2l4,72s trees were planted, at a cost of £1 2s. If d. per thousand. Improvements by labour, £65 ss. Id.; digging trenches and heeling-in trees, £10 17s. ; supervision of prison labour, £85 Bs. 6d. ; supervision of free labour, £51 Bs. 6d. ; cartage of trees, £29 ss. ; general maintenance, £22 15s. . The increased area planted during the year was 130 acres, containing 354,250 trees. To fill up blanks on 62-J- acres 11,000 trees were used, making a total number of trees planted for the year of 365,250, valued at £1,244 10s. 3d., as per Schedule D 3. All the trees have done well. The splendid rains and good growing weather experienced throughout the year have made an assured success of the work, and the loss over all will not exceed 5 per cent. The trees planted during the two previous seasons are now well established, and are making good growth. The total number of trees now in this plantation is 536,086, and the total area planted 192£ acres. Revenue Account. For 163 tons 17 cwt. 2qr. of flax the sum of £61 9s. was received, and for rent £22 195., making total receipts £84 Bs., which was duly paid to the credit of the State Forests Account. The expenditure for the year was £1,349 19s. 10d., and the total expenditure to 31st March, 1906, including purchase of land, £6,240 15s. The average daily number of free labourers employed for the year was eleven. ,t ; Prison Laboue. The record of prison labour for the year is excellent. The average daily number employed was 2706. The increased value of prisoners' labour for the year is also satisfactory. For 1904-5 the daily average earnings for each prisoner was 2s. 4d., whilst for 1905-6 the amount is 2s. 9d. The following works have been done during the year, and the values are based on free labour at 7s. per day ; the average value of work done per man for the year is £29 15s. 7-J-d. : Pitting, 158,025 pits dug, valued at £332 17s. 6d. ; planting 146.150 trees, £159 3s. 8d."; reopening 11,000 pits, £7 13s. Id.; pit-marking, 174,085 marked, £50 2s. 7d. ; roadmaking, £60 4s*. 6d. ; trenches for trees, £35 Bs. Id. ; heeling-in trees, £14 18s. sd. ; pruning trees, £1 13s. ; cleaning amongst trees, £107 55.; repairs to roads, £13 10s. 7d. ; taking down Awatere Accommodationhouse, £23 Is, 9d. ; total, £805 18s, 2d.

Month. Rainfall. Number Maximum of Days TemRain fell, perature. Date. J Minimum Temperature. Date. 1905. April ... May .. June July ... August September ... October November December 1906. Inches. 1-07 094 7-43 1-80 1-54 4-04 6-28 1-77 1-69 5 5 12 14 11 16 11 10 11 Degrees. 82 72 68 68 66 80 79 81 . 90 1st 'llth 14th 24th 15oh 30ch 1st 21st 21st Degrees. 30 31 20 20 24 30 31 39 32 22nd 21st 6th 19th 12th 25th 15th 16th 24th January February March 2-36 2-65 1-57 8 5 7 96 89 88 26th 23rd 13th 35 35 30 7th 20th 24ch Totals ... ... 33-14 33-14 115

New Bridge to give Improved Access to Rotorua Nursery.

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Seed-beds, Rotorua Nursery.

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A considerable amount of labour was further employed in effecting improvements to the camp, extending the garden, fencing, growing vegetables, &c. The prison officers have supervised the work with care and discretion, and the men have taken a commendable interest in their work, and on the whole their conduct has been good. Details of expenditure and values are appended. D. Buchanan, Assistant Forester. N. Cbaig, Nurseryman in Charge.

BoTORUA NuESEEY. (Area, 50 acres ; altitude, 1,000 ft.) The weather experienced during the past year has been most favourable for tree-growing, and it is pleasing to report chat the various crops grown at this nursery are extremely good, and in many instances almost phenomenal growth was made. The rainfall during the year amounted to 49-67 in., falling on 169 days, the heaviest monthly fall being recorded for October, when the total fall registered was 7'Bo in. on twenty-one days. During the previous year—l9o4-5—the rainfall amounted to 5204 in., falling on 153 days. The maximum shade temperature was recorded on the 4th of December, with 94 deg. Fahr., against 95 deg. in January, 1905 ; and the minimum temperature was 24 deg., on the Bth August, against 22 deg. in the corresponding month of the previous year. These particulars of the rainfall and temperature express very inadequately the general weather conditions, and it may be as well to further mention that the dry windy weather which is usually prevalent here during the spring was not experienced during the corresponding period of this year. This fact goes a long way in accounting for the good growth made by the trees, as the" spring months are perhaps the busiest and most important ones of the year. The lining-out and transplanting of trees is then in full swing, and their subsequent growth depends very much upon the state of the atmosphere at that period ; a moist, warm atmosphere, of course, being most conducive to good growth and a low death-rate. During last spring trees to the number of 1,483,500 were lined out, at an average cost of Is. 9d. per thousand. This cost is low compared with the previous year, when lining out cost 2s. 6d. per thousand; but can be accounted for from the fact that the majority of the trees dealt with were larch, and were easily handled. Seed-sowing commenced on the 12th October, and owing to favourable weather was completed early in November, about a month earlier than last year, and at a much less cost. The crop of one-year-old seedlings is, perhaps, the finest that has been raised here during the last five years. All the principal species germinated well, the larch and Oorsican pine being particularly fine, both as regards percentage of germination as well as growth. About, one-half of the larch-crop are from 4in. to 6 in. in height, and it will be necessary to transfer them to the nursery-rows next spring. It is worthy of notice that from 5601b. of larch-seed sown the estimated crop is 2,500,000 trees, while the same quantity of seed sown the previous year resulted in a crop of 1,500,000, or 1,000,000, less than this year. The good crop this yearis due largely to the excellent quality of the seed obtained, and in a measure to the favourable weather. Whilst mentioning this fact, it is especially urged that a sufficient sum should be placed on the estimates to provide for such a contingency. Where the result of a crop is merely conjectural, it is evident that the cost of handling the crop when it reaches the critical stage is also a matter of conjecture ; and, in respect to this year's crop of larch, it is estimated that it will cost during the next year £200 more to handle than did that of the previous year.. The crop of Sequoia sempervirens (redwood) is again poor, but it is much better than has been obtained during the last three years. Juglan's nigra also germinated sparsely, but the plants have made very good growth. The two-year-old trees in seed-beds have done well Lined-out trees are all strong and sturdy, and mostly fit for transferring to the plantations during the coming winter. It is now evident that a further area of about 20 acres of land will need to be secured for nursery purposes. The present enclosure has, with the exception of about an acre, all been graded and broken up, and yet it is not large enough to accommodate the trees which are being grown, unless a system of manuring is carried on and the same land cropped year after year. Such a procedure would be most inadvisable in this light pumiceous soil, and would only get over the difficulty for a few years. Since the increase in the crops at this nursery was authorised, three years ago, until now no fair test has been afforded as to the area of land required, owing to the fact that may of the two-year-old trees were sent to the plantations direct—not lined out —and also that of. the prescribed number about one-third were Eucalypti, which, owing to their rapid growth, were planted permanently twelve months after the time of sowing the crop. The number of trees in the nursery has steadily increased from 5,535,355 in 1904 to 6,563,625 in 1905 and., 7,781,400 in 1906, and from now on it will remain much the same as at present. The seedbed ground, with the exception of a few small areas, is at present all occupied, and it will be necessary to select a further area for this purpose before next spring, thus reducing the ground that has been used up till now for lining-out purposes. It will also be necessary to provide another grass-paddock for the horses, as the present enclosures are quite inadequate since a second team was purchased, and it has been necessary to feed with hay during the past summer. In this hot climate horses soon get out Of sorts if fed continually on hard feed, and the cost of a grass-paddock would soon be amply repaid.

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Buildings : A four-roomed cottage was erected last winter for the Nurseryman in Charge. The building was erected in a substantial manner, and is replete with every convenience, although the rooms are somewhat on the small side. The men's quarters were also extended, two rooms being added to meet the requirements of the increased staff. It was also necessary to extend the stable in order to accommodate the three new horses purchased for the Whakarewarewa Plantation. The alterations comprise four stalls, an extension to the loft, and harness and feed rooms. A much-wanted convenience was provided in the shape of a bridge across the Puarenga River. Formerly all the traffic to and from the nursery was either by way of the native village (which is a very unsafe road for horse traffic) or by a more circuitous route, by way of the Tikitere and Wairoa Eoads. For safety, the waggon when going to Waiotapu took the latter route, which added about three-quarters of an hour to the journey, and during the short winter days the Waiotapu Plantation was reached just at dark, provided the roads were good and no accident happened. In the event of a delay from any cause whatever, the latter and most dangerous part of the road had to be traversed after dark, and great credit is due to the driver for the careful manner in which he carried out his duties —no accident of any consequence having occurred. The Eotorua Nursery and Whakarewarewa and Waiotapu Plantations were each equally eonvenienced by the new bridge, and the cost of the erection was divided between the three works. Trees to the number of 2,386,931, valued at £6,281 13s. Bd., were sent to the plantations, &c, during the year, and since the initiation of the nursery 9,705,571 trees, valued at £21,509 11s. 5d., have been sent out. The cost of mossing trees averaged 10s. Id. per thousand, and the number thus dealt with amounted to 704,393 —mostly Eucalypti. Seedling trees —number, 2,750,800 —were lifted, sized, &c, at an average cost of 2s. per thousand. This work was carried on in the sizing-shed, mostly during wet weather. The average number employed daily during the year was twenty-seven. Schedules of trees and statements of expenditure and values are appended. The following is a record of the rainfall and temperature for the year : —

H. A. Goudie, Nurseryman in Charge.

Whakakewaeewa Plantation. (Area, 8,912 acres, approximate ; altitude, 1,000 ft., approximate.) Owing to the excellent weather conditions which prevailed during the greater part of the year, the trees on the whole have done well. During the year trees to the number of 1,195,904 were dealt with. Of this number 967,983 were planted on a new area of 435f acres, 222,417 were used to replace deaths in former plantings, and 5,504 were planted for ornamental and shelter purposes adjacent to the camp-site. This reserve now contains 2,408,186 trees, which occupy an area of 1,401f acres. Much of the work has been done by prison labour, but it was also necessary to largely employ free labour in order to get all the available trees planted. Portions of the plantation are also at too great a distance from the prison-camp to be economically worked by prisoners. This applies generally to the oldest blocks of the plantation which have been worked entirely by free labour. An average daily number of 14-19 prisoners performed work to the value of £771 Bs. 4d., or an average value of £54 7s. 3d. per man. Details of this will be found in the schedules of values appended. Free labour : An average daily number of nineteen free men were employed, and the cost of the various works undertaken was as follows : Pitting cost 15s. 3d. per thousand; planting cost

Month. Rainfall. Number of Days Rain fell. Highest j Reading c f! Thermometer. Date. LowesD i Reading of Thermometer. Date. 1905. Inches. 2-95 4-70 515 7-29 Degrees. 83 71 62 60 Degrees. 30 29 26 26 23rd,24th 5th, 6th, 7th 7th 3rd, 11th, 19th, 20th 8th 6th 5th, 15th 10th 25th April May June July 9 14 18 13 7th 3rd 27th 2nd,15th, 24th 31st 15th 19th 19th 4th, 9th August September October November December 1906. 4-56 4-46 7-80 3-25 2-48 13 22 21 15 15 67 69 89 93 94 24 31 32 32 36 January February March 2-37 2-51 2-15 6 15 8 91 82 88 27th 2nd 14th 40 32 32 24th 21st 28th Totals 49-67 169

Outbuildings, Rotorua Nursery.

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New Bridge to give Improved Access to Rotorua Nursery.

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Bs. lid. per thousand trees ; replanting failures (including opening pits) cost 28s. Bd. per thousand, and 85 chains of roads and tracks were formed, at a cost of os. per chain ; clearing 154 acres cost on the average £1 Bs. 2d. per acre. A large portion of the area cleared was covered with a very heavy growth of tutu and fern, and the land was also rough and sleep, consequently the cost of this work is considerably greater than the previous year, when it cost on an average 9s. per acre. As a rule, clearing costs on an average about £1 an acre in the district. A further area of 95 acres, between the Wairoa Eoad and the old plantation area, was set apart during the year for State-forest purposes. The old boundary fence was consequently removed and re-erected on the new line. This fence was also continued for about 120 chains along the Wairoa Eoad, and a short length of fencing was also erected between Lakes Tikitapu and Eotokakahi, thus making the north-eastern boundary of the plantation secure from wild horses and cattle. Good results have been obtained with the trees planted during the year (for species see Schedule G s ), and of these the larch has, as usual, made good headway, with a very small proportion of deaths. On the Whakarewarewa Plantation Extension—known as the Waipa Valley— this species was nipped with a late frost on Christmas Day, but the damage was not serious, being confined to the young tender leaves. Abies Douglasii transplanted well, but made very little subsequent growth. Pinus Torreyana and Pinus contorta were planted out experimentally, but the results are not encouraging, due to a very dry spell of weather shortly after they were planted. Acacia melanoxylon is undoubtedly a wonderfully quick grower. Many of those planted last spring have made from 2 ft. to 4 ft. of growth. It stands the frost and drought well, and is evidently suited for holding its own amongst the thick undergrowth of fern and tutu which is so common here. It is a valuable Tasmanian timber, commercially known as " blackwood," and, from the results obtained from it, here it is recommended that in future it should be planted more extensively. In the Eucalypti compartment, E. amygdalina, E. Stuartiana, and E. pauciflora have done well, while E. obliqiia, E. Sieberiana, E. hceviastoma, and E. gigantea were badly frosted, the latter being killed outright. Catalpa speciosa: Owing to unseasonable frosts, this tree has not done so well as was expected. As soon as the young growth appeared in the spring this was cut off by the frost, and the trees are in consequence nearly all dead, and those that are alive have a stunted appearance. No further plantings will in future be made with this tree here. During last winter a large wagon and three strong mares were purchased for carting trees from the Eotorua Nursery. Maintenance-work : A sum of £408 Bd. was spent on clearing the undergrowth from around the young trees. This work is increasing annually, although portions of the plantation have needed no attention in this respect for the past two years. These portions, however, all need to be pruned in order to suppress the double leaders, and this work will be proceeded with shortly. For the coming planting season preparations are well in hand for planting about 1,000,000 trees, now available in Eotorua Nursery. Statements of expenditure and values are appended. W. G. Mobbison, Assistant Forester. H. A. GouDiß, Nurseryman in Charge.

Waiotapu Plantation. (Approximate area, 3,200 acres ; altitude, approximate, 1,200 ft.) The rainfall for the year ending the 31st March, 1906, amounted to 46'63in., falling on 185 days, the heaviest monthly fall being registered in October, when 782 in. was recorded on 21 days. The lowest shade temperature registered was 16 deg. Fahr., or 16 deg. of frost, on four occasions during July and August; and the highest temperature was 86 deg. Fahr. on the 14th January. The results of prison labour for the year are highly satisfactory. An average daily number of 42-56 prisoners performed work to the value of £2,440 Bs. 3d., this showing an average value per man for the year of £57 6s. 9d. The entire work has been performed by prisoners, supervised by warders and two Foresters. Trees planted during the year number 1,165,253, Of this number 287,240 were planted to replace deaths in former plantings, 1,488 were planted experimentally, and the remainder (876,525) were planted on a new area of 322 acres. This plantation now contains 2,814,179 trees, which occupy an area of 1,215-J- acres. The trees on the whole have done well, with the exception of a number of varieties of Eucalypti, of which only the species Gunnii (Hooker) seems to be a decided success. Acacia melanoxylon, of which forty trees were planted experimentally, have done exceptionally well, and is thoroughly suited to the soil and climate here. Bobinia pseudo-acacia, although quite hardy, have made very little progress, owing to hares nibbling off the young shoots as they grow. All the species of conifers planted, details of which will be found by referring to Schedule C B , have done well, and the death-rate amongst these does not amount to more than 5 per cent. Pruning has been necessary amongst some of the older trees, and was commenced last February with six prisoners. This work requires a great deal of care and discretion, and it is pleasing to note that these men, although only supervised by the Forester in Charge occasionally, have carried out this work in a most satisfactory manner. Eoads and tracks were formed through the land cleared during the year. The total length formed was 115-J chains. 14 ft. wide, but in all cases a strip of land 1 chain in width was reserved

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as. a firebreak. This land, and also the half-chain reserved around the fence-line, was ploughed and it is intended to keep it cultivated in order to prevent the spread of fire. As there is now a considerable area of land reserved for roads and firebreaks, it will be necessary to procure a horsehoe for the purpose of keeping down the growth of weeds, &c, before next summer. Another horse will also be required for this work, and for assisting to distribute the trees to various parts of the plantation. It is estimated that in two more years the present enclosure will all be planted, and, as the eastern portion of the block is a considerable distance from the camp, a good deal of time will be lost by the prisoners walking to and from their work. This, perhaps, would not be a great consideration during the summer months ; but in the winter, when a great deal of work has to be done, the prisoners only work seven hours per day, and one hour and a half each day at least would be lost in walking to and from the work. In view of the foregoing facts, it would be desirable to select a further area for planting purposes before next spring, and have this fenced; so that the prisoncamp could be shifted, and the furthest-off and most inaccessible parts of the present enclosure planted from the new base. Details of expenditure and values are appended. : The following is a record of rainfall and temperature for the year : —

T. B. Curle, Assistant Forester. H. A. Goudie, Nurseryman in Charge.

-, , Kaingaboa Plains Plantations (Fdue). (Altitude, 2,000 ft; total area, 25 acres.) Four years ago these experimental areas were planted with various trees in order to ascertain which species could be grown on these elevated wind-swept plains. Around each area a belt of Pinus radiata was planted for shelter, and these have made a remarkable growth, considering the exposure to which they were subjected, the majority of them having reached in four years a height of from 10 ft. to 14 ft. Larch, Oorsicaa pine, Austrian pine, and English birch have all made good sturdy growth —not the rapid growth noticeable with these species in the Waiotapu Valley, but moderately quick, with hard, well-ripened wood. Other trees planted were Norway spruce, Menzie's spruce, Oregon pine, and Lawson's cypress. The first three species are, on the whole, in very good condition, but it is evident that without the shelter afforded by the Pinus rcvliata these would not have grown so well. Of the three, perhaps the Menzies' spruce is the most successful. The Norway spruce and Oregon pine have made remarkable growth where sheltered, but in the centre of the areas, where they are more exposed to the wind and the early morning sun, many of them are stunted and frosted. Lawson's cypress, so far as can be judged at present, is a decided failure, and seems to be scarcely any larger now than when it was planted. It has also suffered from the depredations of hares, which have nibbled off the young growth as it appeared. Judging from these experiments, it is safe to say that larch, Corsican pine, Austrian pine, and birch can be grown here as successfully as in any part of the Hot Lakes District, and these species of trees should be the principal ones used when the Waiotapu Valley is all planted and operations are properly commenced on the plains. The Norway spruce, Oregon pine, and Menzies' spruce, no doubt, could be successfully grown in selected situations, but would not do for general planting. No work has been done here during the past year, but it is intended. shortly to send a gang of prisoners from Waiotapu Plantations to prune the trees and clear away the undergrowth. T. B. Curlb, Assistant Forester. H. A. GouDiß, Nurseryman in Charge.

Month. Rainfall. Number of Days Rain fell. j I Maximum' Tempera- J ture. : I Date. : ! Minimum Temperature, Date. 1905. March April ... Vlay ... rune ... ruly ... August September October November December 1906. Inches. 0-46 2-34 3-93 5-56 6-49 4-43 4-19 7-82 3-93 2-85 6 1.0 15 18 17 14 25 21 i9 16 I Degrees. 82 10th, 21st 72 ' 6th 64 2nd 56 13th 56 1st, 22nd 58 18th, 30th 60 9th,14th,15th 70 18th 80 14th 84 12th Degrees. 32 22 22 18 16 16 20 24 26 24 7th, 8th, 18tl 22nd, 23rd 3rd 6th, 10th 18ch 7th . 5th, 6th ' 14th 15th 24th lanuary ?ebruary 2-20 2-43 10 14 86 14th 80 1st 26 22 31st 20th Totals ... 46-63 185 1 I

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BUATANGATA NUBSERY, KaMO, NEAB WhANGABEI. (Area, 65 acres, approximate; altitude, 320 ft.) Forest trees to the number of 652,200, valued at £1,217 35., now comprise the stock in this nursery. A most favourable season generally prevailed, maintaining a steady growth in all classes of plants. Totara seedlings collected within a radius of eight miles from the nursery were sized and lined in under covered frames. Small lots of Podocarpus dacrydioides (white-pine), Phyllocladiis trichamanoidcs (tanekaha), Podocarpus ferruginea (miro), Alectryon excelsum (titoki), Knightia excelsa (rewarewa) —in all, approximately, 100,000 trees—were dealt with at an average cost of 4s. per thousand for collecting and " lining in," and, as in previous years, these have made satisfactory progress. It is essential for success that trees so treated be well shaded for at least three months. They require to be lifted ami classed, and the majority grown in the nursery for another year, by which time they make splendid roots, and are well fitted to bear transplanting when the time arrives for transferring them to the plantations. This plan affords some provision against the failure of subsequent seed-crops, and it is also gratifying to find a use at a payable rate for plants, which must inevitably die if left under the parent trees. . : During June 50,000 totara, averaging 3 in. in height, were lined out (at the rate of 4s. Bd. per thousand) on volcanic-ironstone land, previously cropped with oats, limed, aud well cultivated. Beyond a check from a number of late frosts and the more serious attacks of wireworm, this lot of. trees made rapid growth, now averaging 12 in. in height. An autumn sowing of totara-seed contended against very adverse conditions throughout the winter, with poor results. This is a familiar experience, showing that whilst sometimes much is to be gained, on the other hand considerable risk attends autumn-sowing of tree-seeds here. In the first week in September, after treatment in pits, the main crop of totara-seed was sown, resulting in a fine sturdy lot of trees, to the number of 250,000, 6 in. high. Seven pounds of Sequoia sempervirens (redwood), sown.at the same time, yielded a thin crop of healthy seedlings, all of which are sufficiently large for permanent removal. It is a most difficult matter to secure fresh, sound seed of this valuable timber-tree, and is a matter of regret, as it is well suited to the district. About 3001b, of puriri - seed (Vitex hwens) was sown in October, after being pitted, 60,000 seedlings being raised, now averaging 9in. in height, and valued at £1 ss. per thousand. Puriri-trees require another season under nursery treatment in order to build up strength and form a good fibrous-root system, when they transplant well. They bear the hot dry weather splendidly, but succumb to frost in a disappointing manner. This is especially the case when the plants are young and growing in a rich soil, many failures being due to this cause. Other small sowings of Pittosporum crassifolmm (karo), Fraxinus Americana (white American ash), Sequoia gigantea (mammoth tree), Pseudo-t&uga taxifolia (Oregon pine), and a few Japanese trees have also given satisfactory results. The main crop of Eucalypti was sown in December, comprising E. rostrata, E. marginata, E. leucoxylon, E. paniculata, E. sidewphloia, E. resinifera, and E. obliqua. All these varieties germinated well. The total number of trees raised on this station since May, 1903, is 934,484, valued at £2,091 13s. 4d. Trees to the number of 158,660, valued at £408 15s. 2d., were transferred to , Puhipuhi Plantation during the year, and the number of trees sent out from the nursery since the inception in May, 1903, is 282,284, valued at £874 10s. 4d. Experimental work, devoted to testing various trees with regard to their general merits, is of great interest. Many years must necessarily elapse before more than a superficial knowledge can be obtained. Even at the present stage, however, such information as has already been acquired is of considerable value, Under the conditions existing in the present plantations the various Eucalypti planted here two and a half years ago now average 5 ft. in height. Those varieties under observation appearing to be more suited for extensive planting in this district are : E. amygdalina, E. regnans, E. rostrata, E. resinifera, E. Stuartiaua, E. teretecornis, E. obliqua, E. maculuta, E. marginata, and others. Those yet of undetermined merit are E. gigantea, E. crebra, E. siderophloia, and E. eugenoides, these being slow in growth and lacking in vigour. E. redunca, E. virgata, E. teretecornis, an 4 others are severely attacked by the cicadas (locust). E. salegna, E. pauciflora, and E. capitellata appear to outgrow their strength. E. corynocalyx, E. mactdata, E. marginata, E. corymbosa are affected by frost in a young state, the first two being especially delicate to handle in mossing. Various American oaks are making excellent growth. About 500 Quercus suber are now quite established. Well-branched specimens are 3 ft. in height on poor situations. In a few years an ample supply of seed-acorns can be assured. A consignment of cork-acorns, imported direct from Italy, opened in a most unsatisfactory condition, being practically worthless. Repeated experiments of this kind have invariably proved disappointing, so that when a reliable seed-supply can. be reckoned on the great difficulty will be met regarding the raising of cork-trees. Sequoia semperuirens (Californian redwood) continue to grow excellently. Situated on a stony slope, individual trees are 4 ft. in height and sturdy in proportion, having made 18 in. of new growth this season. Poor results so far have attended the Gatalpa speciosa. The trees suffered from uncongenial surroundings and the attacks of numerous insects. Native trees are thriving, although some grow very slowly, the average height of three-year-old totaras being 2 ft. 6 in. Taken as a whole, all the trees are in a thriving condition. " Considerable labour has been expended on general formation-work during the year, necessary in order to bring the land under workable conditions, by breaking Up new land, removing stony

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outcrops, forming stone draining with the material, levelling and filling in depressions, and improving roads. Fourteen acres of land were well worked last winter—l ton of lime applied per acre—and 12 acres sown with Algerian oats and rye-corn, resulting in a return of about 40 tons of chaffingsheaves, saved in good order. The balance of the land was utilised in growing Italian rye-grass, maize, and carrots, each of which yielded heavy crops. A strong rick, 26 ft. by 20 ft. by 18 ft., with a lifting roof on pulleys, was erected in sections, to permit removal, the whole work costing in labour and material about £25. One hundred light seed-frames, 18 ft. by 6 ft., were constructed, costing in labour and material about 11s. each. General maintenance-work has formed a heavy item in the year's work. The clearing of creeks of watercress and the suppression of gorse and other weeds was a continuous labour. Arrangements are well forward to provide a substantial nursery-building, which will be probably erected before the winter months. "During the year rain fell on 157 days, with a total fall of 52-61 in., the heaviest monthly fall being 7-41 in October. The maximum temperature registered was 89 deg. Fahr., on the 11th December, and the lowest, 26 deg., on the 11th August. Heavy thunder-storms occurred in the spring, followed by cold winds and changeable weather. With this exception, the year has been remarkable for well-distributed rain and the equable changes in the seasons. I have to thank the staff for the assistance I have received from them in carrying out the year's work. The number of hands employed during the year was five men and six lads. Details of expenditures and values and schedules of trees are appended. The following is a record of the rainfall and temperature for the : —

L. J. Adams, Nurseryman in Charge.

Puhipuhi Plantation, Whakapaba. (Area, 1,121 acres ; altitude, 1,000 ft.) Great changes are evident at this station by the country being cleared of the useless timber over at least 400 acres of the reserve and on "the adjoining block of 250 acres. The bulk of this work was let by contract at the rate of 4s. 6d. per acre. Clearing and burning other growth has cost 3s. per acre. Approximately, 122,000 totara and 135,000 Eucalypti of tested merit are now planted at 8 ft. apart. Upwards of 12,000 acorns were planted in situ last season, on the steep spurs facing the north, at the cost of 16s. per thousand. This fills in all the land that it is desirable to plant on this block, most of the balance being covered with native bush. A large number of trees died owing to the dry season of 1904-5, and these were replaced at a cost of £2 per thousand. On steep hillsides the heavy rains wash the loose soil from the roots of the trees, leaving them exposed to a hot sun, and "the fact that totara is more susceptible to drought than exotic trees generally grown accounts for this loss. Last planting-season 181,847 pits were dug, at an average cost of 16s. 6d. per thousand. Trees to the number of 137,860 were planted, at an average cost 15s. per thousand, including the distribution of the trees to the planters. On steep rough country where kauri logs are strewn in all directions this work is one of considerable expense. It has been found most expedient to pack the mossed trees in cylinder-shaped crates, these being 2 ft. 6 in. long, made of three iron hoops, lin. by Jin. iron, 14in. in diameter, pierced with six holes, on which 2 in. by 1 in. battens are bolted." The ends of the crates are laced with wire, and the inside lined with sacking-material, leaving a space open to put in the'trees. A well-packed crate will hold about 1,000 trees, and remain three or four days without fear of heating. Two crates placed on a pack-saddle form a convenient load for an average horse, and can thus be conveyed about the plantation.

Month. Rainfall. Number of Days Rain fell. Maximum Temperature. Dale. Minimum Temperature. Date. 1905. Inches. 2-17-4-77 405 3-25 7-13 4-56 7-41 3-57 2-55 Degrees. 81 70 66 75 67 69 80 85 89 Degrees. 31 32 33 31 26 33 32 34 38 April May ... June ... July ... August September October November December 1906. 9 14 20 15 13 21 19 14 6 3rd 29th 9th 15th 31st 10th 25th 30th 11th 10th 7th, 19th 6th, 19th 20th 11th 24th 14th 12th 3rd January February March 3-78 4-81 4-56 7 8 11 85 83 81 25th 2nd 15th 38 38 34 2nd 27th 2nd Totals... 52-61 157

Prison Camp, Dumgree, near Blenheim

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Prison Camp, Waipa, near Rotorua.

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A small temporary nursery was formed as a depot for "heeling in " trees, so that the work can proceed without interruption whilst roads are unfit for carting. In regard to the condition of the trees, totara seem fairly well established, but so far their growth is somewhat slow, except in the most favoured places. At the same time, it may be said that many of the trees were planted as first-year seedlings, and they have survived rather trying conditions. Experience shows that it is necessary to line out the trees one year in the nursery before transferring them to the plantation. The cost of maintaining the trees is'from 10s. to 14s. per thousand, as the fern grows very fast all the year round. J The various Eucalypti have grown well, with the exception of E. oorymbosa and E corymocalyx, which are repeatedly cut down by frost. E. crebra and E. siderophlia do not succeed particularly well. The growth of the remaining species named is very satisfactory, and they now average 2 ft. m height, while specimens of E. rostrata and E. redunca have attained a Height of 9ft in two years. E. resinifera (the red mahogany) excels all others, although subjected to similar conditions, being firm, sturdy, and very hardy in its growth; it bears all the treatment of wrenching, mossing, and transplanting well, and appears quite at home in the Puhipuhi soil and climate. It is also known as the " Botany Bay gum." The timber is very durable and is used extensively in ship-building and wood-paving. There still remains a quantity of useful kauri timber lying about the reserve which might be profitably utilised. This timber is fast becoming scarce, and is consequently of more value and it is believed that at the present rate at which it is sold it would pay to convert these previously discarded logs by means of a portable sawmill. Owing to the low-lying land along the Kaimamaku Eiver being periodically flooded, it has not been planted, and as a matter of precaution the plantation-fence was erected well above the high-water mark. The area thus excluded is considerable, and is overrun at present by the settlers' stock. It is therefore desirable that this be leased for grazing, as the fences are liable to be damaged by cattle, and under a lease tenure the lessee would be required to subscribe towards the upkeep of the fences. As no record of rainfall and temperature was taken until September last, this information is of little value this season. Forward preparations are now in progress to receive this season's output of trees from Buatangata Nursery on a recently resumed area of 250 acres. Average number of men employed daily during the year, nine. Details of values and expenditure are appended. Chas. Hoopeb, Assistant Forester. L. J. Adams, Nurseryman in Charge,

Statement of Expenditure to the 31st March, 1906. Bweburn Nursery. £ s _ d Amount at the 31st March, 1905 ... ... ... 7 Q3O 13 11 Tree-growing ,' '" ' 312 9 g General maintenance ... ... ... ... 497 7 a Nursery-formation ... ... ... ... ... 34 16 6 Horse-shoeing and general repairs ... ... ... 85 16 2 Horse-feed ... .. ... .. 24 4 3 Tree-seeds ... ... ... ... ... 38 16 0 Tools, implements, &c. ... ... . . 2 4 3 Fuel and freight ... ... ... ... . 818 Buildings—stable and sizing-shed (new) ... ... 173 4 \ Supervision ... ... ... . . _ 18 5 0 £7,925 18 9 Tapanui Nursery. £ gr d _ Amount at the 31st March, 1905 ... ... 10 350 15 10 Tree-growing .' V[ ' 681 4 g General maintenance ... ... ... ... 351 j g Horse-shoeing and general repairs ... ... ... 27 6 5 Horse-feed purchased and grown ... ... 93 12 11 Manures ... ... ... ... ... .__ 768 Tree-seed. .'.'.' ['[ '" ?8 1Q 2 Tools, implements... ... ... 51 9 9 Buildings—sizing-shed and part Nurseryman's cottage ... ... 186 12 0 Miscellaneous works ... ... . 128 Supervision ... ... ... >ti 38 11 0 £11,867 13 4

5—C. Ib.

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Starborough Nursery. £ B- a. Amount at the 31st March, 1905 ... ... ... ... 5,160 17 4 Tree-growing ... ... ... ... ... ... 509 3 2 Maintenance ... ... ... ... ... ... 201 8 9 Nursery-formation ... . ... ... ... ... 81 8 5 Buildings 181 5 9 Fencing ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 26 6 3 Water-supply ... ... ... ... ... ... 6 16 7 Tools and implements ... ... ... ... ... 60 13 5 Horse-feed ... ... ... ... ... ... 80 18 4 Tree-seeds ... ... ... ... ... ... 72 2 9 Horse-shoeing and general repairs ... ... ... ... 52 510 Manures ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 11 9 3 Miscellaneous works ... ... ... ... ... 40 10 6 Supervision ... ... ... ... ... ... 38 2 6 £6,523 8 10 Hanmer Springs Nursery. £ s. d. Amount at the 31st March, 1905 ... ... ... ... 1,042 14 0 Tree-growing ... ... ... ... ... ... 275 3 1 Nursery-formation ... ... ... ... ... ... 35 18 9 Horse-shoeing and general repairs ... ... ... ... 310 6 Horse-feed ... ... ... ... ... ... 36 4 9 Manures ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 425 Tree-seeds ... ... ... ..'. ... ... 50 15 2 Tools and implements ... ... ... ... ... 12 19 5 Seed-frames ... ... ... ... ... ... 15 17 9 Water-supply ... ... ... ... ... ... 4 3 2 Miscellaneous ... ... ... ... ... ... 18 15 0 Supervision ... ... ... ... ... ... 28 4 0 £1,528 8 0 Botorua Nursery. £ a. d. Amount at the 31st March, 1905 ... ... ... ...13,935 14 10 Tree-growing ... ... ... ... ... ... 1,782 18 10 Nursery-formation ... ... ... ... ... 368 0 1 Horse-feed ... ... ... ... ... ... 110 13 6 Horse-shoeing and general repairs ... ... ... ... 216 9 1 Manures ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 77 8 2 Tools and implements ... ... ... ... ... 25 5 0 Tree-seeds ... ... ... ... ... ... 189 8 5 Water-supply, extension of ... ... ... ... ... 5 16 3 Fencing ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 17 9 0 Buildings — Nurseryman's cottage, additions to stable, men's quarters and smithy ... ... ... ... ... 662 10 6 Erection of bridge—part cost ... ... ... ... 154 3 0 Clerical work ... ... ... ... ... ... 147 19 9 Miscellaneous works . . ... ... ... ... 22 0 9 Supervision ... ... ... ... ... ... 47 10 0 £17,763 7 2 Buatangata Nursery. £ g, d. Amount at the 31st March, 1905 ... ... ... ...1,586 8 11 Nursery-formation ... ... ... ... ... 210 1 5 Tree-seeds purchased and collected ... ... ... ... 47 19 2 Tree-growing ... ... ... ... ... ... 372 0 5 Experimental work ... ... ... ... ... 19 5 11 General maintenance ... ... ... ... ... 262 19 7 Tools—purchase and freight ... ... ... ... 27 3 2 Miscellaneous works ... ... ... ... ... 12 8 7 Horse-shoeing and general repairs ... ... ... ... 459 Horse-feed purchased ... ... ... ... ... 10 1 0 Crops—labour and material... ... ... ... ... 128 12 2 Manures ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 28 2 0 Seed-frames ... ... ... ... ... ... 64 9 2 Buildings... ... ... ... ... ... ... 91 0 7 Supervision ~. ~. ... ... ... ... 26 5 0 £2,891 2 10

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Naseby Survey Paddock Plantation. £ s. d. Amount at the 31st March, 1905 ... ./< ... " ... 1,669 17 2 Tree-planting ... ... ... ... ... ... 16 7 9 Carting trees ... ... ... ... ... ... 2 12 6 General maintenance ... ... ... ... ... 47 18 2 Proportion of Nurseryman's salary ... ... ... ... 15 13 4 Supervision ... ... ... ... ... ... 4 10 0 £1,756 18 11 — Qimmerburn Reserve. £ s. d Amount at the 31st March, 1905 ... ... ... ... 687 4 1 Tree-plantmg ... ... ... ... ... ... 115 0 2 Pitting ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 16 17 0 Heeling in trees ... ... ... ... ... ... 5 16 0 Carting trees ... ... ... ... ... ... 16 4 0 Erection of men's huts ... ... ... ... ... 57 3 9 Carting, sowing, and supply of oats ... ... ... ... 26 17 0 General maintenance ... ... ... ... ... 17 13 3 Proportion of Nurseryman's salary ... ... ... ... 41 0 0 Supervision ... ... ... ... ... ... 13 8 0 £997 3 3 A portion of this reserve was leased for cropping, and rental amounting to £69 19s. 6d was received during the year. The rental thus received to date amounts to £402 7s. 6d. Dusky Hill Plantation. £ s. d. Amount at the 31st March, 1905 ... ... ... ... 7,529 18 4 Digging 77,468 pits for tree-planting ... ... ... .., 76 7 6 Planting 70,075 trees ... ... ... ... ... 64 1 6 Preparing ground and planting 21,950 acorns ... ... ... 16 0 4 Tree-seed —acorns, and railage ... ... ... ... 200 Cartage of trees from Tapanui Nursery ... ... ... 376 General maintenance ... ... ... ... ... 230 0 2 Tools, implements ... ... ... ... ... ... 15 15 0 Cutting and burning scrub ... ... ... ~. ... 29 12 6 Forming track ... ... ... ... ... ... 3 11 6 Miscellaneous works ... ... ... ... ... 8 17 0 Nurseryman's salary (proportion) ... ... ... ... 15 0 0 Supervision ... ... ... ... ... ... 22 13 0 £8,017 4 4 Conical Hills Plantation. £ s. a.. Amount at the 31st March, 1905 ... ... ... ... 3,627 13 4 Digging 464,070 pits for tree-planting ... ... ... 6L9 19 3 Digging 98,689 grubber-pits... ... ... ... ... 106 3 9 Planting 623,000 trees ... ... ... ... ... 470 0 3 Preparing ground and planting 239,600 acorns... ... ... 170 19 6 Tree-seeds —acorns, and railage ... ... ... ... 20 15 9 Cutting and burning scrub ... ... ... ... ... 14 5 11 Cartage of trees from Tapanui Nursery ... ... ... 17126 General maintenance ... ... ... ... ... 246 17 9 Eoad-formation ... ... ... ... ... ... 98 1 2 Tools and implements ... ... ... ... ... 11 15 1 Miscellaneous works ... ... ... ... ... 19 17 0 Nurseryman's salary (proportion) ... ... ... ... 30 0 0 Supervision ... ... .. ... ... ... 46 9 0 £5,500 10 3 Waitahuna Plantation. £ s. d. Grubbing and burning gorse... ... ... ... . . 6 14 0 Fencing —labour and part material ... ... ... ... 25 7 7 Miscellaneous works, travelling-expenses, &c. ... ... •••. 580 Nurserymen's salary (proportion) ... ... ... ... 200 £39 9 7

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Hanmer Springs Plantation. £ s. d. Amount at the 31st March, 1905 ... ... ... ...2,124 1 6 Marking pits ... ... ... ... ... ... 129 13 9 Tree-planting ... ... ... ... ... ... 11 0 0 Draining ... ... ... ... ... ... 28 11 11 Buildings... ... ... ... ... ... ... 23 18 10 Tools, implements, &o. ... ... ... ... ... 47 19 3 Fencing material ... ... ... ... ... ... 49 17 3 General maintenance ... ... ... ... ... 16 9 0 Miscellaneous ... ... ... ... ... ... 22 19 9 Acorns—purchase and freight ... ... ... ... 9 0 0 Horse-shoeing and general repairs ... ... ... ... 115 0 Proportion of Nurseryman's salary ... ... ... ... 70 16 0 Supervision ... ... ... ... ... ... 31 7 0 £2,567 9 3 Dumgree Plantation. £ s , a. Amount at the 31st March, 1905 ... ... ... ... 4,890 15 2 Digging 268,513 pits ... ... ... ... ... 678 7 8 Planting 214,725 trees ... ... ... ... ... 237 19 2 Digging trenches and heeling in trees ... ... ... 10 17 0 Cartage of trees ... ... ... ... ... ... 29 5 0 General maintenance ... ... ... ... ... 22 15 0 Tools and implements ... ... .... ... ... 100 6 3 Supervision of prison labour... ... ... ... ... 85 8 6 Supervision of free labour ... ... ... ... ... 51 8 6 Improvements by labour ... ... .. ... ... 65 5 1 Portion of Nurseryman's salary ... ... ... ... 21 16 8 Supervision ... ... ... ... .. ... 46 11 0 £6,240 15 0 Note.—Eevenue amounting to £84 Bs., for sale of flax and rental, was received during the year at this station. Waiotapu Plantation. £ s d Amount at the 31st March, 1905 ... ... ... ... 2,472 18 11 Carting trees ... ... ... ... ... ... 44 5 0 Horse-feed ... ... ... ... ... ... 71 2 8 , Fencing ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 20 18 0 Tools, implements, &c. ... ... ... ... ... 19 16 8 Buildings—smithy ... ... ... ... ... 591 Horse-shoeing and general repairs ... ... ... ... 26 811 Erection of bridge—part cost ... ... ... ... 133 6 g Supervision of prison labour (Foresters'salaries) ... ... 294 5 6 Proportion of Nurseryman's salary and travelling-expenses 24 13 10 Supervision ... ... ... ... ... ... 44 6 0 £3,157 11 3 Whakarewarewa Plantation. £ s _ $ Amount at the 31st March, 1905 ... ... ... ... 5,101 4 9 Clearing land ... ... ... ... ... ... 219 11 6 Pitting for tree-planting ... ... ... ... ... 725 l 9 Tree-planting ... ... ... ... ... ... 147 10 8 Fencing ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 68 8 4 Road-making ... ... ... ... ... ... 20 15 6 Carting trees ... ... ... ... ... ... 44 2 0 Maintenance of plantation ... ... ... ... ... 846 4 4 Horse-feed ... ... ... ... ... ... 88 0 8 Tools, implements, &c. ... ... ... ... 229 8 2 Buildings —alterations and additions to workshop ... ... 10 1 5 Erection of bridge—part cost ... ... ... 89 6 11 Supervision of prison and free labour... . .1 ... ... 124 2 0 Proportion of Nurseryman's salary ... ... ... ~. 102 3 7 Miscellaneous ... ... ... ... ... ... 2 14 4 Supervision ... ... ... ... .... ... 38 4 0 £7,856 19 11

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Kaingaroa Plains Plantations (4). £ s. d. Amount at the 31st March, 1905 ... ... ... ... 318 13.0 Proportion of Nurseryman's salary and travelling-expenses ... 400 £322 13 0 Puhipuhi Plantation. f s . d. Amount at 31st March, 1905 ... ... ... ... 733 14 11 Buildings, new and additions to old ... ... ... ... 28 5 1 Pitting, 181,849, at 16s. 6d. ... ... ... ... ... 151 211 Clearing and burning ... ... ... ... ... 306 11 9 Tree-planting ... ... ... ... ... ... 161 7 9 Freight and cartage on trees ... ... ... ... 14 3 5 Tools, implements, crates, &c. ... ... ... ... 135 7 5 Fencing—material and labour ... ... ... ... 26 16 0 General formation ... ... ... ... ... ... 28 7 9 Horse-shoeing and general repairs ... ... ... ... 210 6 General maintenance ... ... ... ... ... 215 15 4 Nurseryman's salary—proportion of, and travelling-expenses, &c. 23 2 3 Supervision ... ... ... ... ... ... 38 15 0 £1,866 0 1 Kurow Nursery. £ s. d. Cost of land arid buildings ... ... ... ... ... £750 0 0 Statement of Values for Year ending 31st March, 1906. Eivebum Nursery. £ s. d. £ s. d\ £ s. d. Amount at the 31st March, 1905 ... ... 5,500 6 6 Less value of trees ... ...1,684 7 2 „ horse-feed ... 28 6 0 1,712 13 2 ■ 3,787 13 4 Trees as per Schedule A ... ... ... ... ... 238 16 9 A 1 543 15 0 A 2 ... ... ... ... ... 890 2 0 A 8 ... ... ... ... ... 410 2 0 Tools, implements, &c. ... ... ... ... ... 243 Nursery-formation... ... ... ... ... ... 34 16 3 Horse-feed in stock ... ... ... ... ... 44 4 0 Improved value ... ... ... ... 215 12 8 Buildings—stable, sizing-shed, &c. ... ... ... ... 173 4 1 £6,340 10 7 Tapanui Nursery. £ s. d. £ s. d. Amount at the 31st March, 1905 ... ... 13,683 13 7 Less value of trees ... ... ... 7,835 2 5 5,848 11 2 Trees as per Schedule B ... ... ... ... ... 714 7 6 B 1 ... ... ... ... ... 1,783 13 6 B a ... ... ... ... ... 1,510 12 6 B 3 ... ... ... ... ... 2,446 14 9 Tools, implements, &c. ... ... ... ... ... 51 9 9 Buildings ... ... ... ... ... ... 186 12 0 Improved value ... ... ... ... ... ... 405 15 2 Value of foal bred ... ... ... ... ... ... 10 0 0 Horse-feed in stock ... ... ... ... ... 125 10 10 £13,083 7 2

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Starborough Nursery. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Amount at the 31st March, 1905 ... ... 6,636 17 9 Less tools written off ;.. ... 7 0 6 „ trees Dto D" ... ... 2,842 18 0 „ horse-feed ... ... 144 4 2 2,994 2 8 3,642 15 1 Trees as per Schedule D ... ... ... ... ... 870 17 6 D 1 760 10 0 D a ... ... ... ... ... 797 10 0 D 8 ... ... ... ... ... 1,379 8 9 Tools and implements ... ... ... ... ... 60 13 5 Water-supply ... ... •■■ ... ... ... 6 16 7 Fencing ..." ... ... ... ... ... ... 26 6 3 Buildings... ... ... ... ... ... ... 181 5 9 Nursery-formation... ... ... ... ... ... 8185 Improved value by labour, &c. ... ... ... ... 270 1 3 Increased value of one colt and one filly, two years old, at £5 each 10 0 0 Value of one yearling filly ... ... ... ... ... 10 0 0 Horse-feed in stock ... ... ... ... ... 133 0 0 £8,230 13 0 Hanmer Springs Nursery. £ s. d. £ s. d. Amount at the 31st March, 1905 ... ... 2,051 18 11 Less value of trees ... ... 1,434 1 3 horse-feed ... 25 0 0 1,459 1 3 592 17 8 Trees as per Schedule E ... ... ... ... ... 759 5 0 E 1 ... ... ... ... ... 1,132 5 2 E 2 ... ... ... ... ... 376 15 0 E 8 ... ... ... ... ... 61 4 7 Tools and implements ... ... ... ... ... 12 19 5 Water-supply ... ... ... ... ... ... 4 3 2 Nursery-formation ... ... ... ... ... 35 18 9 Seed-frames, new ... ... ... ... ... ... 15 17 9 Horse-feed in stock ... ... ... ... ... 15 0 0 Improved value by labour ... ... ... ... ... 28 4 0 £3,034 10 6 Rotorua Nursery. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Amount at the 31st March, 1905 ... ... 17,464 7 7 Less value of trees ... ...13,014 18 5 „ horse-feed ... 6 0 0 „ tools written off 25 4 1 13,046 2 6 4,418 5 1 Trees as per Schedule C ... ... ... ... ...4,529 10 6 C 1 ... ... ... ... ... 2,722 1 0 C 2 ... ... ... ... ... 3,442 16 0 C 8 ... ... ... ... ... 6,281 13 8 Formation of nursery ... ... ... ... ... 368 0 1 Tools and implements purchased ... ... ... ... 25 5 0 Water-supply, Extension 0f... ... ... ... ... 5 16 3 Fencing ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 17 9 0 Buildings—new and additions to old ones ... ... ... 662 10 6 Bridge, Part value of ... ... ... ... ... 154 3 0 Horse-feed in stock ... ... ... ... ... 15 0 0 Improved value by labour ... ... ... ... ... 47 10 0 £22,690 0 1

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Ruatangata Nursery. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s d. Amount at the 31st March, 1905 ... ... 2,237 13 1 Less value of trees ... ... 1,119 16 6 horse-feed ... 40 0 0 1,159 16 6 1,077 16 7 Trees as per Schedule F ~. ... ... ... ... 81113 0 F 1 ... ... ... ... ... 405 10 0 F 3 t ... 408 15 2 Nursery-formation ... ... ... ... ... 210 1 5 Tools and implements ... ... ... ... ... 27 3 2 Seed-frames ... ... ... ... ... ... 64 9 2 Buildings... ... ... ... ... ... ... 91 0 7 Horse-feed in stock ... ... ... ... ... 136 0 0 Improved value .. ... ... ... ... ... 320 19 1 £3,553 8 2 Naseby Survey Paddock Plantation. £ s. d. Amount at the 31st March, 1905 ... ... ... ... 3,275 17 6 Trees as per Schedule A 8 ... ... ... ... ... 46 4 0 Tree-planting ... ... ... ... ... ... 16 7 9 Carting trees ... ... ... . ... ... 2 12 6 Improved value by labour ... ... .... ... ... 68 1 6 Increased value ... ... ... ... ... ... 115 14 4 £3,524 17 7 Gimmerburn Reserve. £ s. d. £ s. d. Amount at the 31st March, 1905... ... ...1,239 17 0 Less trees charged in error 1904-5 ... 26 16 5 1,213 0 7 Trees as per Schedule A 8 ... ... ... ... ... 350 15 6 Cartage of trees ... ... ... ... ... ... 16 4 0 Tree-planting ... ... ... ... ... ... 115 0 2 Pitting ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 16 17 0 Heeling in trees ... ... ... ... ... ... 516 0 Men's huts ... ... ... ... ... ... 57 3 0 0at5—2,176 bushels, at 2s. per bushel ... ... ... 217 12 0 Improved value by labour ~ ... ... ... ... 72 1 3 £2,064 10 3 Dusky Hill Plantation. £ s. d. Amount at the 31st March, 1905 ... ... ... 17,519 9 2 Trees planted as per Schedule B 3 ... ... ... ... 209 1110 Trees raised from seed—2l,9so ... ... ... ... 43 9 1 Cartage of trees from nursery ... ... ... ... 376 Planting trees ... ... ... ... ... ... 64 1 6 Pitting ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 76 7 6 Tools, implements ... ... ... ... ... ... 15 15 0 Improved value by labour ... ... ... ... ... 309 14 2 Increased value ... ... ... ... ... ... 688 6 4 £18,930 2 1 Conical Hills Plantation. £ s. dAmount at the 31st March, 1905 ... ... ... ...7,313 6 1 Trees planted as per Schedule B s ... ... ... ... 1,849 7 6 Trees raised from 5eed—239,600 ... ... ... ... 470 9 6 Cartage of trees from nursery ... ... ... ... 17 12 6 Planting trees ... ... ... ... ... ... 470 0 3 Pitting ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 726 3 0 Tools, implements, &c. ... ... ... ... ... 11 15 1 Improved value by labour ... ... ... ... .. 455 10 10 Increased value ... ... ... ... ... ... 349 19 7 £11,664 4 4 Waitahuna Plantation. £ s. d. Fencing ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 25 7 7 Improved value by labour ... ... ... ... . 14 2 0 £39 9 7

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Hanmer Springs Plantation. £ g . a. Amount at the 31st March, 1905 4,764 14 5 Trees, as per Schedule E 3 ... ... ... ... ••• 190 16 10 Tools, implements, &c. ... ... ... ... ••• 47 19 3 Fencing —material... ■ •■• ••• ••• 49 17 3 Buildings 23 18 10 Free labour — £ a. &■ Marking pits ... ... ••• ... 129 13 9 Planting trees... ... ... ■•• 11 0 0 Draining ... ... ••• •■• 28 11 11 Prison labour— 169 5 8 Pitting 229 9 0 Clearing scrub ... ... •■• 88 6 8 Tree-planting ... ... ••• 23 6 3 Marking pits ... » ... ... ... 1 010 Building tool-house and implement-shed ... 8 3 9 Improvements by labour ... ... 153 7 1 F 503 13 7 Improved value by labour ... ... ... •• ••• 118 12 0 Increased value ... ... ... •■• •■■ ••• 210 15 9 £6,079 13 7 Raincliff Plantation. £ s <j Amount at the 31st March, 1905 ... ... ... ...1,305 19 7 Increased value ... ... ••• ••• ••■ ••• 61 15 4 £1,367 14 11 Dumgree Plantation. $ g ,j £ g <j. Amount at the 31st March, 1905 ... ... 5,830 13 8 Less tools written off ... ... ... 8 11 1 5,822 2 7 Trees planted as per Schedule D 3 ... ... ... •-■ 1,244 10 3 Cartage of trees ... ... ... ••• . ••• ■•• 29 5 0 Digging 268,513 pits ... ... ... •■• ••• 678 7 8 Planting 214,725 trees ... ... ... ••• ••■ 2,37 19 2 Digging trenches and heeling in trees ... ... ... 10 17 0 Tools and implements ... ... ... ••• ••• 100 6 3 Improvements by labour ... ... ... ... ••■ 87 9 Supervision of prison labour... ... ... ... • 85 8 6 Supervision of free labour ... ... ... ... ••• 51 8 6 General maintenance ... ... ... ••• ••• 69 6 0 Prison labour — £ a- d. Digging 158,025 pits ... ... ... 332 17 6 Reopening 11,000 pits .. ... ... 7 13 1 Planting 146,150 trees ... ... ... 159 3 8 Pit-marking, 174,085 50 2 7 Roadmaking, 63 chains... ... ... 60 4 6 Digging trenches and heeling in 285,750 trees 50 6 6 Pruning and clearing around trees ... 108 18 0 B 769 5 10 Increased value ... ... ••• •■• ••• ••• 59 10 0 £9,245 8 6 Waiotapu Plantation. £ B . d. jg 8 . a. Amount at the 31st March, 1905 ... ... 11,222 15 6 Less tools written off ... ... ... 28 9 2 11,194 6 4 Trees, as per Schedule C 8 ... ... ... ••• ••• 3,151 2 8 Carting trees 44 5 0 Fencing 18 0 Tools and implements, &c. ... ... ... ... ••• q -j Buildings J 9 J Bridge (part value) . ... ... ■ • • ■ • • ■ • ■ 10 ° " ° Improved value by labour ... ... ... ■ • • 363 5 4 Value of prison labour — £ B. d. Clearing for tree-planting ... .. 997 0 0 Pitting ... 732 17 6 Planting ... .. ... ••• 329 5 10 Roading ... ... ... ••• 28 5 0 Fencing and draining ... ... ... 14 12 6 Miscellaneous improvements ... ... 180 0 0 2,282 0 10 Horse-feed in stock... ... ... •■■ ••• ••• qq q q Increased value ~, ... ... ••■ ••• ■■■ 389 8 9 £17,618 19 4

Type of Workshop erected at Prison Camp.

e.—lβ.

Prison Camp, Waiotapu.

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Whakarewarewa Plantation. & 8. &. & S, d. Amount at the 31st March, 1905 ... ... 9,825 15 4 Less tools written off ... ... ... 16 9 2 9,809 6 2 Trees, as per Schedule C 3 ... ... ... ... ...3,067 6 6 Clearing land ... ... ... ... ... ... 219 11 6 Pitting for tree-planting ... ... ... ... ... 725 1 9 Tree-planting ... ... ... ... ... ... 147 10 8 Fencing ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 68 8 4 Eoadmaking ... ... ... ... ... ... 20 15 6 Carting trees ... ... ... ... ... ... 44 2 0 Tools and implements, &c. ... ... ... ... ... 229 8 2 Buildings and additions to ... ... ... ... ... 10 1 5 Bridge (part value).. ... ... ... ... ... 89 6 11 Improved value by labour ... ... ... .. ... 1,110 13 11 Value of prison labour — £ s. d. Clearing for tree-planting ... ... 317 9 8 Forming horse-paddock... ... .. 51 17 0 Pitting for tree-plauting ... ... 13 13 9 Tree-planting ... ... ... ... 240 7 3 Roading ... ... ... ... 23 4 6 Fencing and draining ... ... ... 14 6 6 Miscellaneous works ... ... ... 57 9 8 718 8 4 Horse-feed in stock ... ... ... ... ... 10 0 0 Increased value ... ... ... ... ■ ... ... 359 13 9 £16,629 4 11 Kaingaroa Plains Plantations. £ s. d. £ s. d. Amount at the 31st March, 1905 ... ... 580 18 10 Less tools written off ... ... ... 650 — 574 13 10 Improved value by labour ... ... ... ... ... 400 Increased value ... ... ... ... ... ... 22 19 9 £601 13 7 Puhipuhi Plantation. £ s. d. Amount at the 31st March, 1905 ... ... ... ...1,216 3 7 Trees, as per Schedule F 2 ... ... ... ... ... 408 19 2 Trees raised in situ— l2,6oo acorns, at £1 ss. per 1,000 ... ... 15 15 0 Pitting ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 151 211 Clearing and burning ... ... ... ... ... 306 11 9 Tree-planting and freight on trees ... ... ... ... 175 11 2 Tools, implements, &c. ... ... ... ... ... 135 7 5 Fencing ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 26 16 0 General formation ... ... ... ... ... ... 28 7 9 Buildings (new) and additions to old ones ... ... ... 28 5 1 Improved value ... ... ... ... ... ... 277 12 7 Increased value ... ... ... ... ... ... 39 12 2 £2,810 4 7 Kurow Nursery. £ s. d. Value of land and buildings ... ~. ... ... ... £750 0 0

β-o. Iβ,

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Reference-list of Forest Trees and Shrubs grown at the various Nurseries and Plantations, 1905-6. (E, evergreen; D, deciduous.)

lame o: 'ree. lynonym. lommon ame. Acacia melanoxylon (E) Acer saccharum (D) „ pseudo-platanus (D) .. iEsculus hippocastanum (D) Alectryon excelsum (E) Alnus glutinosa (D) Benthamia fragifera (E) .. Betula alba (D) Berberis aristata (D) Castanea sativa (D) Catalpa speciosa (D) Cerasus lauro-cerasus (E) .. Chamaecyparis Lawsoniana (E) Chamaecyparis thyoides (E) Cordyline Hookerii (E) „ Australis (E) indivisa (E) Corokia buddleoides (B) Corylus avellana (D) Corynocarpus laevigata (E) Cotoneaster Simonsii (E) .. Eucalyptus amygdalina (E) Acer saocharinum Blackwood Sugar-maple Sycamore Horse-chestnut Titoki Alder Indian strawberry.. Silver-birch Barberry Sweet or Spanish chestnut.. Hardy catalpa - Common laurel j Lawson's cypress, or whitecedar White-cedar Toi Ti, or cabbage-tree Toi Korokia Filbert Karaka, New Zealand laurel Rockspray Almond-leaved peppermintgum Red-gum.. Head-flowered stringy-bark Bloodwood South east Australia. North America. Europe and Asia. South-east Europe. New Zealand. Europe and Asia. India. Europe. Northern India. : Europe and Asia. United States. Levant. Northern California. Castanea vesca Bignonia catalpa Cupressus Lawsoniana calophylla (E) capitellata (E) „ corymbosa JE) coccifera (E) .. „ corynocalyx (E) crebra (E) ficifolia (E) globulus (E) .. Gunnii (E) „ haemastoma (E) „ leucoxylon (E) „ macrorhyncha(E) marginata (E) .. Muellerii (E) .. maculata (E) ., Retinospora ericoides Dracaena Hookerii .. „ Australis .. „ indivisa Eucalyptus sideroxylon Mountain-peppermint Sugar-gum Narrow-leaved ironbark Scarlet-flowering gum Blue-gum Cider-gum .'. Gum-topped stringy-bark .. Victorian red ironbark Stringy-bark of Victoria Jarrah Mountain red-gum Spotted gum Eastern United States. North Island, New Zealand. New Zealand. South Island, New Zealand. New Zealand. Britain. New Zealand. Unknown. Victoria, New South Wales, and Tasmania. South-west Australia. New South Wales and Gippsland. New South Wales and South Queensland. Alpine districts of Tasmania. South-east Australia. New South Wales and Queensland. South-west Australia. Tasmania and Victoria. Victoria, New South Wales, and Tasmania. Tasmania and Victoria. South Australia. Victoria. South-west Australia. Mountains of Tasmania. New South Wales and Queensland. Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania. Ditto. New South Wales and Southwest Australia. New South Wales, Queensland, and Gippsland. Tasmania and Victoria. New South Wales and South Queensland. Tasmania and South-east Australia. Ditto. Eastern Queensland and Port Jackson. New South Wales and Gippsland Tasmania. Western Australia. New South Wales and Queensland. Tasmania and Victoria. Japan. Chili. Eastern United States. obliqua (E) Stringy-bark or messmate .. pauciflora (E) .. „ paniculata (E) Eucalyptus coriacea .. fasciculosa White or drooping gum Red ironbark pilularis (E) .. Blackbutt regnans (E) saligna (B) Swamp-gum Grey or flooded gum „ Stuartiana (E) Apple-scented gum Sieberiana (E) siderophloia (E) Eucalyptus virgata .. „ persicifolia Yowut, mountain ash Sydney ironbark „ teretecornis (E) urnigera (E) redunca (E) „ resinifera (E) .. Red-gum of Queensland Urn-bearing gum The wando or white-gum .. Red or forest mahogany viminalis (E) .. Eleagnus Japonica (E) Escallonia macrantha (E).. Fraxinus Americana (D) .. Swamp or manna gum Wild olive Chilian gum-box .. .. White American ash Fraxinus Acuminata, F. alba Fraxinus excelsior (D) Fagus fusca (E) .. „ Solandri (E) English ash Red beech or birch Red, white, black, or brown birch Beech Broadleaf, papauma Shagbark, hickory Pecan-nut Butternut Black walnut Walnut .. Red cedar Re ware wa or honeysuckle .. European larch Tulip-tree, basswood Laburnum Shiny-leaved privet Europe and Asia. New Zealand. Fagus sylvatica (D) Griselinia lit'oralis (E) Hikora ovata (D) .. „ pecan (D) Juglans cineria (D nigra (D) „ regia (D) Juniperus Virginiana (E .. Knightia excelsa (E) Larix Europaea (D) Liriodendron tulipiferum (D) Laburnum vulgare (D) Ligustrum luoidum (E) Carya alba .. olivteformis Europe. New Zealand. Eastern North America. Juniperus Barbadensis Pinus larix .. Europe and Asia. North America. North New Zealand. Europe. United States. Europe. China. Oytisua laburnum

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Reference-list of Forest Trees and Shrubs grown at the various Nurseries and Plantations, 1905-6. (E, evergreen; D, deciduous) — continued.

Schedule A.—One-year-old Trees.—Details of Trees grown at Eweburn Nursery, 1905-6. (Tenth Crop.)

Name of Tree. Synonym. Common Name. Habitat. Myoporum laetum (E) Melicytus lanceolatus (E) .. Metrosideros tomentosa (E) luoida (E) .. Olearia Fosterii (E) Traversii (E) Phormium tenax (E) Phyllocladus trichomanoides (E) Picea exeelsa (E) sitchensis (E) Canadensis (E) Pinus Austriaca (E) „ Canariensis (E) „ contorta (E) Shawia paniculata .. Ngaio Narrow-leaved hinehine Pohutukawa Southern rata Golden-akeake Akeake Flax Tanekaha New Zealand. North Island, New Zealand. South Island, New Zealand. New Zealand. Chatham Islands. New Zealand. Abies exeelsa Menziesii Norway spruce Tideland spruce White-spruce Austrian pine Canary pine Twisted pine Europe. Alaska, Northern Canada. North-east United States. Southern Europe. Canary Islands. Alaska to California. Coulterii (E) exeelsa (E) flexilis (E).. halepensis (E) „ Lambertiana (E) „ Laricio (E) „ muricata (E) „ ponderosa (E) „ ponderosa, var. Ben- „ thamiana (E) „ pinaster (E) radiata (E) rigida (E) .. „ Sabiniana (E) strobus (E) Piptanthus Nepalensis (E) Pittosporum crassifolium (E) „ eugenioides (E) tenuifolium (E) Buchananii (E) Populus deltoides (D) .. ' Pinus Murrayana, Pinus Bolanderi Pinus macrocarpa pendula Great-coned pine Himalayan pine Limber pine Aleppo pine Sugar-pine Corsican pine Prickly-coned or Bishop's pine Heavy or bull pine Bentham's yellow-pine California. Himalayan Mountains. Rocky Mountains,SierraNevada. Levant. Northern California, Oregon. Southern Europe. California. North-west America. British Columbia. Pinus maritima insignis Cluster-pine Monterey pine Pitch-pine Nut-pine.. Weymouth pine .. Evergreen laburnum Karo Matipo, tarata „ tawhiri tawhiwhi Canadian or black Italian poplar Lombardy poplar Southern Europe. California. New England to Virginia. California. North America. Himalayas. New Zealand. Populus nigra pyramidalis P) Podocarpus dacrydioides (E) totara (E) Hallii (E) .. j Pseudo-tsuga taxifolia (E).. I Populus monolifera, Populus Canadensis Populus dilatata, Popu lus fastigata North America. Europe and Northern Asia. Nageia totara Hallii Abies Douglasii Kahikatea Totara Large-leaved totara Oregon pine New Zealand. Pyrus aucuparia (D) Quercus coccinea (D) „ macrocarpa (D) .. „ pedunculata (D) .. „ palustris (D) suber (D) Raphiolepsis ovata (E) Retinospora, varieties (E) .. Robinia pseudo acacia (D).. Salix Caprea (D; .. „ viminalis (D) ,, vitellina (D) Senecio rotundifolius (E) .. Sequoia sempervirens (E) .. Sophora tetraptera (E) or (D) Tamarix gallica (E) Veronica, species (E) Vitex lucens (E) .. Sorbus aucuparia Rowan-tree, mountain-ash.. Scarlet oak Burr oak British oak Pin-oak Cork-oak .. .. Indian hawthorn Cypress Black loquat or false acacia Goat willow Common osier Golden osier Leatherleaf Redwood Kowhai Tamarisk Koromiko Puriri British Columbia, Pacific Coast, &a. Europe and Asia. Eastern North America. Quercus robur Europe and West Asia. South-east of North America. Southern Europe. India. Japan. Pennsylvania Mountains. Europe (Britain). Salix longifolia Taxodium sempervirens Edwardsia microphylla Britain. New Zealand. California. New Zealand. Europe. New Zealand. North New Zealand.

Name of Tree. Number in Height in Seed-beds. Inches. Amount of Seed sown. Value per Thousand. Total Value. Remarks. Pinus Austriaca „ Laricio .. „ ponderosa „ Jeffreyii.. „ Torreyana „ Benthamiana Larix Europsaa 20,900 66,500 18,000 200 150 2,000 130,500. 238,250 4 14 1 1 1 14 Lb. 14 42 14 1 1 3 140 £ s. d. 10 0 10 0 10 0 1 5 0 1 5 0 15 0 10 0 £ s. d. 20 18 0 66 10 0 18 0 0 0 5 0 0 3 9 2 10 0 130 10 0 Very good. Very thin crop. Good results. t Have done well. I Satisfactory crop. Totals 238 16 9

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44

Schedule A1.—Two-year-old Trees.—Details of Trees grown at Eweburn Nursery, 1904-5. (Ninth Crop.)

Schedule A 2 .—Three -year-old Trees.—Details of Trees grown at Eweburn Nursery, 1903-4. (Eighth Crop.)

Schedule A3. —Trees transferred from Eweburn Nursery to Plantations, &c., 1905-6.

Name of Tree. Number in Seed-bede. Height in Inches. Value per Total Value. Thousand. Kemarks. Pinus Austriaca Laricio ponderosa .. halepensis .. halepensis .. „ muricata Larix EuropEea Cytisus vulgare Totals 100,000 ] 100,000 .. j 12,500 8,000 18,000 .. ! 12,000 .. J 100,000 60,500 411,000 £ s. d. 3 15 0 3 15 0 4 ; 1 5 0 6 15 0 8 2 5 0 8 2 5 0 3-10 15 0 12 15 0 £ s. d. 125 0 0 125 0 0 15 12 6 10 0 0 40 10 0 27 0 0 125 0 0 75 12 6 [ Very good. Fair crop. Good results. [ Good (lined out). Fair growth. Very good. 543 15 0

Name of Tree. Number in Nursery P.ows. Height in Inches. Value per Thousand. Total Value. Remarks. 'inus Austriaca „ ponderosa jarix Europsea 192,600 3,500 100,600 296,700 8-10 3-4 8-10 £ s. d. 3 0 0 3 0 0 3 0 0 £ s. d. 577 16 0 Very good. 10 10 0 ! Fair results. 301 16 0 I Very satisfactory. Totals 890 2 0 i

Where sent. Name of Tree. Number. Value per Thousand. Total Value. I Pinus Austriaca ,. , 1, Larix Europaaa hmmerburn Reserve .. -i " [ Salix viminalis (cuttings) 79,600 37,800 3,525 8,175 £ s. d. 3 0 0 2 5 0 3 0 0 2 0 0 £ s. d. 238 16 0 85 1 0 10 11 6 16 7 0 . .. ( Robinia rseudo-acacia 'apanu. Nursery .. ..J Berberis Nepaulensis 129,100 8,500 150 1 10 0 2 10 0 350 15 6 12 15 0 0 7 6 8,650 13 2 6 I Pinus ponderosa lurvey Paddock Plantation i „ „ { „ Austriaca 11,450 2,650 5,550 2 5 0 3 0 0 2 5 0 25 15 3 7 19 0 12 9 9 19,650 46 4 0 i-immerbuin Reserve, as per details above .. tapanui Survey, as per details above iurvey Paddock Plantation, as per details above 129,100 8,650 19,650 350 15 6 13 2 6 46 4 0 Totals .. 157,400 £410 2 0

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Cut-out Kauri Forest at Puhipuhi, Auckland, being replanted with Totara and Eucalypti.

Oat-crop at Ruatangata Nursery, Auckland, showing Result of Systematic Tillage on Poor Land.

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Schedule B.—One-year-old Trees.—Details of Trees grown at Tapanui Nursery, 1905-6. (Ninth Crop.)

Schedule B1. —Two-year-old Trees.—Details of Trees grown at Tapanui Nursery, 1904-5. (Eighth Crop.)

Schedule B 2 . —Three-year-old Trees.—Details of Trees grown at Tapanui Nursery, 1903-4. (Seventh Crop.)

Name of Tree. Number in Seed-beds. Height in Inches. Amount of Seed sown. Value peiThousand Total Value. I Remarks. Picea exeelsa Pseudo-tsuga taxifolia .. Pinus Austriaca Laricio ponderosa „ muricata Benthamiana Torreyana Jeffreyii „ Murrayana Larix Europroa 147,000 3,000 41,500 98,500 70,000 58,000 14,500 1,000 750 100 150,000 I I U 1* 34 14 3 2 14 2-5 Lb. 20 16 7 20 14 3 7 3 1 A 168" £ s. d. 10 0 1 5 0 10 0 10 0 10 0 10 0 15 0 15 0 15 0 1 5 0 10 0 £ s. d. 147 0 0 3 15 0 41 10 0 98 10 0 70 0 0 58 0 0 18 2 6 15 0 0 18 9 0 2 6 150 0 0 Excellent crop. Germinated poorly. I Good crop. Vigorous growth. Good crop. Strong plants. Very weak. Strong plants ; two-thirdi damped off. Fair crop. Fraxinus excelsior Acer pseudo-platanus Quercus pedunculata Picea sitchensis Betula alba Cotoneaster Simmondsii Pittosporum tenuifolium iEsculus hippocastanum Phormium tenax Griselinia littoralis Cerasus lauro-cerasus .. Native trees 10,000 86,000 22,000 30,500 500 1,000 2,200 75 1,000 3,000 1,000 1,000 3 8 6 I 2 3 6 6 4 2 24 1-5 4 sacks 1 sack 1 „ 7 10 3 5 2 2 2 3 10 0 0 10 0 10 0 15 0 1 0 0 15 0 10 0 1 10 0 15 0 15 0 1 10 0 1 10. 0 10 0 0 43 0 0 22 0 0 38 2 6 0 10 0 15 0 2 4 0 0 2 3 15 0 3 15 0 1 10 0 1 10 0 t Good crop. Germinated poorly. j-Strong healthy plants. Totals.. 742,625 714 7 6

Name of Tree. Number Number in in Seed-beds. Nursery Lines. Height in ™» e Inches. Tirana. Total Value. Remarks. Picea exeelsa Pseudo-tsuga taxifolia Pinus Austriaca Laricio ponderosa muricata .. ' „ halepensis Larix Europaaa Fraxinus Americanus Acer pseudo-platanus Quercus pedunculata Picea sitchensis Robinia pseudo-acaoia Catalpa speciosa 271,000 80,000 134,700 139,000 33,000 23,000 15,000 ! 338,000 21,000 £ s. d. 2 15 0 24 1 10 0 44 15 0 34 110 0 3 15 0 8 [15 0 7 115 0 10 : 1 5 0 12 115 0 14 1 10 0 15 ; 2 5 0 14 1 10 0 12 0 15 0 12 2 0 0 18 J 1 5 0 8 (: 1 10 0 18 ! 1 5 0 9 15 0 £ s. d. 1 338 15 0 120 0 0 168 7 6 208 10 0 41 5 0 28 15 0 18 15 0 422 10 0 26 5 0 92 12 6 37 2 6 267 0 0 1 17 7 0 4 0 Fair growth. Small plants. \ Splendid plants. Medium growth. t Very strong plants. Strong, even growth. Healthy plants. [ Vigorous plants. Small plants. Fair growth. .. 61!750 16,500 178,000 1,800 100 Laburnum vulgare 4,000 1,500 [750 Poor growth. Piptanthus Nepalensis .. Cotoneaster Simmondsii .. 3,500 500 4 7 6 0 12 6 I Strong plants. Totals .. 1,242,500 79,850 1,783 13 6

Name of Tree. Number in Nursery Lines. Height Value in per Total Value. Inches. Thousand. Remarks. Picea exeelsa Pseudo-tsuga taxifolia Picea sitchensis Pinus Austriaca „ ponderosa i, ponderosa, var. Benthamiana „ radiata „ strobus rigida halepensis Larix Europaja Betula alba Fraxinus excelsior Robinia pseudo-acacia Alnus glutinosa Juglans regia .. Acer saccharum Pittosporum tenuifolium 238,000 28,900 100 66,400 500 150 2,500 200 100 100 8,000 • 61,800 83,700 2,000 1,700 1,700 4,600 250 £ s. d. 8 ! 3 0 0 10 3 5 0 10 3 5 0 6 3 0 0 6 3 5 0 5 ! 3 5 0 13 ' 3 0 0 7 ' 3 0 0 8 3 0 0 8 3 0 0 15 3 0 0 14 3 0 0 17 3 0 0 18 2 5 0 13 3 0 0 11 I 4 10 0 15 3 0 0 15 3 5 0 £ s. d. 714 0 0 1 93 18 6 0 6 6 | 199 4 0 1 12 6 j 0 9 9 7 10 0 j These trees have made 0 12 0 excellent growth, and 0 6 0 , nearly the total number 0 6 0 | will he transferred to 24 0 0 plantations during the 185 8 0 coming winter. 251 2 0 4 10 0 5 2 0 7 13 0 13 16 0 0 16 8 1,510 12 6 Totals .. 500,700

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Schedule B3.—Trees transferred from Tapanui Nursery to Plantations, Domains, &c., 1905-6.

Where sent. Name of Tree. Number. jHeight in jlnches. Value per Thousand, I Total Value. Remarks. lonical Hills Pian-_ tation Pinus Austriaca .. „ ponderosa Benthamiana „ strobus „ rigida „ radiata Picea excelsa sitchensis Pseudo-tsuga taxifolia Larix Europaea Fraxinus excelsior Quercus pedunculata Acer pseudo-platanus Betula alba Juglans regia Alnus glutinosa Pyrua aucuparia Acer saccharum Robinia pseudo-acacia Populus (var.) Salix (var.) Laburnum vulgare 90,500 9,850 3,450 3,150 750 6,075 150,675 175 35,875 75,900 74,725 2,150 84,925 63,150 4,180 1,250 445 525 6,975 450 200 7,625 623,000 239,600 12 10 12 9 10 11 12 15 '40 15 20 15 14 18 11 16 24 16 15 20 20 20 & s. d. 3 0 0 3 0 0 3 5 0 3 0 0 3 0 0 3 0 0 3 0 0 3 5 0 3 5 0 3 0 0 3 0 0 3 0 0 2 15 0 3 0 0 4 5 0 3 0 0 3 15 0 3 0 0 2 5 0 1 10 0 1 10 0 2 0 0 £ s. d. 271 10 0 29 11 0 11 4 3 9 9 0 2 5 0 18 4 6 452 0 6 0 11 4 116 11 10 227 14 0 224 3 6 6 9 0 ' 233 11 0 I 189 9 0 17 15 4 3 15 0 1 13 5 1 11 6 15 13 10 0 13 6 0 6 0 15 5 0 \ Excellent growth. \ Good growth. LFair growth. Vigorous growth. I Fair results. Round boundary. For firebreaks. On swampy ground. Fair growth. From Eweburn N ursery. | Planted in swamps. Good growth. Quercus pedunculata 15 0 1,849 7 6 299 10 0 Acorns planted in situ. 862,600 2,148 17 6 ■usky Hill Plantation Pinus Austriaca ponderosa Benthamiana „ rigida Picea excelsa Pseudo-tsuga taxifolia Larix Europaea Fraxinus excelsior Quercus pedunoulata Acer pseudo-platanus Betula alba Alnus glutinosa Trees and shrubs 80,750 1,500 125 100 1,000 1,650 10,000 9,100 9,250 4,300 100 2,000 200 12 10 12 7 7 10 15 18 17 14 16 15 3 0 0 3 0 0 3 5 0 3 0 0 3 0 0 3 5 0 3 0 0 3 0 0 3 0 0 2 15 0 3 0 0 3 0 0 92 5 0 4 10 0 0 8 1 0 6 0 3 0 0 5 7 3 30 0 0 27 6 0 27 15 0 1116 6 0 6 0 6 0 0 0 12 0 All these trees were . used for replanting purposes, with satisfactory results. Quercus pedunculata 70,075 21,950 15 0 209 11 10 27 8 9 Acorns planted in situ. I lanmer Springs Plantation 92,025 237 0 7 Picea excelsa Larix Europaea Fraxinus excelsior Alnus glutinosa Robinia pseudo-acacia 10,000 600 6,000 200 725 6 13 12 13 12 3 0 0 3 0 0 15 0 3 0 0 1 15 0 30 0 Oi 1 16 0 7 10 0 0 12 0 15 4 I) \ For nursery and plantation purposes. 17,525 41 3 4 Jonical Hills Plantation Dusky Hill Plantation Hanmer Springs Plantation mdustrial School, Burnham Courist Department, Queenstown Domain Board, Gore Courist Department, Hanmer Springs beautifying Association, Waikoikoi. -totorua Nursery As per details above Trees and shrubs 862,600 92,025 17,525 2,220 2,148 17 6 237 0 7 41 3 4 4 8 0 2 0 9 392 Native trees and shrubs .. Betula Alba 90 200 1 11 6 0 14 6 Trees (assorted) 325 2 0 0 50 lb. Pinus Laricio 8 18 7 Totals 975,377 2,446 14 9

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Schedule C.—One-year-old Trees.—Details of Trees grown at Rotorua Nursery, 1905-6 (Seventh Crop.)

Schedule C1. —Two-year-old Trees.—Details of Trees grown at Rotorua Nursery, 1904-5. (Sixth Crop.)

Schedule C2. —Three-year-old Trees. —Details of Trees grown at Rotorua Nursery, 1903-4. (Fifth Crop.)

Name of Tree. Number in Seed-beds. Height in Inches. Amount of Seed sown. Value per Thousand. Total Value. Remarks. Larix Europsea Pinus Laricio „ ponderosa ponderosa, var. Benthamiana „ Austriaca .. Mnrrayana. Jeffreyii muricata Torreyana 2,500,000 1,300,000 300,000 54,000 130,000 16,000 600 20,000 2,500 1-6 2 2 2 2 1 2 6 3 Lb. 560 112 56 14 28 i 1 3 14 £ s. d. 10 0 10 0 10 0 15 0 1 0 0 15 0 15 0 1 0 0 15 0 £ s. d. j-2,500 0 0 1,300 0 0 300 0 0 67 10 0 130 0 0 20 0 0 0 15 0 20 0 0 3 2 6 Extraordinarily good. I Good, even, and strong | growth. r Pair average. Good results. Poor germination ; good plants. Eucalyptus amygdalina pauciflora Acacia melanoxylon Juglans nigra Sequoia sempervirens Juniperus Virginiana 130,000 120,000 40,000 800 5,000 500 6 6 6 12 2-4 1 3 4 14 8 bush. 35 14 0 10 0 0 10 0 10 0 3 0 0 4 0 0 1 10 0 65 0 0 60 0 0 40 0 0 2 8 0 20 0 0 0 15 0 [ Good and even crop. | Only fair results, owing I to poor germination I of seed. Totals .. 4,619,400 4,529 10 6

Number Height in Seed- in beds. Inches. Value per Thousand. Total Value. Remarks. Name of Tree. I I Larix Europsea Pinus Austriaca Laricio .. „ ponderosa „ ponderosa, var. Benthamiana stronus ' „ Jeffreyii Lambertiana Pseudo-tsuga taxifolia .. .. - Picea sitchensis Thuja gigantea 1,300,000 200,000 260,000 55,000 22,000 12,000 3,000 1,200 200,000 50,000 12,000 8-18 4-8 3-6 6-8 4 3 6-3 8-12 6-8 6-8 9-15 £ a. d. 15 0 15 0 15 0 15 0 1 10 0 15 0 1 10 0 1 10 0 1 10 0 1 10 0 2 0 0 £ s. d. 1,625 0 0 250 0 0 325 0 0 68 15 0 33 0 0 15 0 0 4 10 0 1 16 0 300 0 0 75 0 0 24 0 0 Very good crop. Strong and sturdy. Good and even. Fair average. Fair only. I Very vigorous. Good ; above average. Strong and healthy. Good; above average. Totals .. 2,115,200 2,722 1 0

Name of Tree. Number in , Height Value Nursery , in per Lines. ) Inches. Thousand. Total Value. Remarks. 'inus Austriaca.. strobus „ ponderoso jarix Europaaa 'icea exeelsa „ sitchensis 'seudo-tsuga taxifolia fikora ovata lobinia pseudo-acacia liriodendron tulipiferum 280,000 17,000 1,000 700,000 50,000 50,000 30,000 2,500 16,000 300 £ s. d. 5-8 3 0 0 6 3 0 0 4 3 0 0 9-16 3 0 0 12 3 0 0 8 3 5 0 9-16 3 5 0 0 5 10 0 18-36 1 10 0 9-18 3 10 0 £ s. d. 840 0 0 51 0 0 3 0 0 2,100 0 0 150 0 0 162 10 0 97 10 0 13 15 0 24 0 0 110 Good growth. Strong plants. Fair growth. Medium crop. Sturdy plants. Fairly good. Good crop. Satisfactory. Very strong growth. Good. Totals .. 1,146,800 3,442 16 0

\J ■ XJj,

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Schedule C 3 .—Trees, &c., transferred from Rotorua Nursery to Forest Plantations, &c., 1905-6.

Where sent. Name of Tree. NUmb - 2C SouSj Value. Remarks. Wbakarewarewa Plantation Larix Europsaa Pseudo-tsuga taxifolia Pinus Torreyana.. „ contorta muricata Acacia melanoxylon „ Baileyana Robinia pseudo-acacia Juglans cineria .. „ nigra regia .ZEsculus hippocastanum .. Eucalyptus amygdalina .. „ gigantea obliqua Stuautiana coriacea Sieberiana haemastoma .. Gunnii (Hooker) varieties Ornamental shrubs 750,150 52,233 1,320 390 4,095 25,500 150 100 2,217 3,330 4,370 119 137,970 3,740 56,320 99,620 I 39,770 5,640 5,190 3,420 60 200 12 6 6 6 6 6 6 10 18 12 10 12 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 £ s. d. 3 0 0 3 5 0 2 5 0 2 5 0 1 10 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 10 0 4 10 0 5 0 0 4 15 0 6 0 0 1 10 0 1 10 0 1 10 0 1 10 0 1 10 0 1 10 0 1 10 0 • 110 0 2 10 0 £5 per 100 £ s. d. 2,250 9 0 169 15 1 2 19 4 0 17 .6 6 2 10 51 0 0 0 6 0 0 2 0 9 19 6 16 13 0 20 15 1 0 14 3 206 19 1 5 12 2 84 9 7 .149 8 7 59 13 1 8 9 2 7 15 8 5 2 7 0 3 0 10 0 0 All trees have done well at this plantation during the year, with the exception of E. obliqua, E. Sieberiana, E.haemastoma, and E. gigantea, which were badly frosted. 1,195,904 743,415 89,550 18,825 3,067 6 6 Larix Europaea Pinus Austriaca ponderosa, var. Benthamiana ponderosa Laricio „ strobus Coulterii contorta .. „ muricata Torreyana.. excel sa Sylvestris .. „ Jeffreyii Sequoia sempervirens Acacia melanoxylon 7,050 27,000 37,525 430 700 1,000 500 100 200 18 375 40 15 6 8 8 6 6 10 6 6 6 4 1 4 6 6 3 0 0 3 0 0 3 5 0 3 0 0 3 0 0 3 0 0 3 10 0 3 0 0 2 5 0 2 5 0 2 5 0 2 5 0 2 5 0 8 0 0 2 0 0 2,230 4 10 268 13 0 61 3 7 21 3 0 81 0 0 112 11 6 1 10 1 2 2 0 2 5 0 12 6 0 4 6 0 9 0 0 0 9 3 0 0 0 17 -Have all done well. 'aiotapu Plantation Experimental; very satisfactory. Slow ; eaten by hares. Good. Not very satisfactory. Robinia pseudo-acacia .. Eucalyptus Gunnii (Hooker) (Mueller) Muellerii „ coriacea „ urnigera „ ' Stuartiana „ coccifera 41,675 102,574 34,636 1,285 23,570 5,080 28,280 1,425 10 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 1 10 0 1 10 0 1 10 0 2 10 0 1 10 0 2 10 0 1 10 0 2 10 0 62 10 3 153 17 2 51 19 0 3 4 3 35 7 1 12 14 0 42 8 4 3 11 3 Fair. Not very satisfactory. Fair. 1,165,253 25,000 350 3,151 2 8 luatangata Nursery j Pinus muricata Eucalypti (varieties) 6 4 2 5 0 1 10 0 56 5 0 0 10 6 For breakwinds. Experimental planting. 25,350 56 15 6 Vhakarewarewa Plantation Vaiotapu Plantation luatangafca Nursery Lcclimatisation Society, Tirau Tative School, Taupo )apanui Nursery .. As per details above Shelter trees 1,195,904 1,165,253 25,350 250 £1 per 100 3,067 6 0 3,151 2 8 56 15 6 2 10 0 Ornamental shrubs (vars.).. Catalpa speciosa 74 100 15 £5 per 100 £2 10s. per 1,000 3 14 0 0 5 0 Experimental planting. Totals 2,386,931 6,281 1.3 8

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Specimen of Rimu at Pohue, Hawke's Bay.

Totara-sapling, Ruatangata Nursery.

49

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Schedule D.—One-year-old Trees.—Details of Trees grown at Starborough Nursery, 1905-6. (Fifth Crop.)

Schedule D1. —Two-year-old Trees.—Details of Trees grown at Starborough Nursery, 1904-5. (Fourth Crop.)

Schedule D 2 . —Three- and Four-year-old Trees.—Details of Trees grown at Starborough Nursery, 1903-4. (Second and Third Crops.)

Schedule D 3 . —Trees transferred from Starborough Nursery to Plantations, Nurseries, &c., 1905-6.

7—C. Ib.

Name of Tree. Number in Seed-beds. Height in Inches. Seed sown. Value per Thousand. Total Value. Remarks. 'I jarix Europcea .. .. - 'inus Murrayana » Laricio « ponderosa Austriaca » ponderosa, var. Benthamiana , strobus .. „ Torreyana 'seudo tsuga taxifolia .. 'icea sitchensis tobinia pseudo-acacia , 400,000 1,200 300,000 40,000 50,000 25,000 2,500 1,000 2,000 3,500 75,000 900,200 4 to 8 1 to 14 1 to 2 2 to 3 1 to 2 2 to 3 1 to 14 2 to 4 1 to 2 & to 1 24 to 36 Lb. 168 pkt. 52 7 7 7 7 3 6 i 28 £ s. d. 10 0 15 0 10 0 10 0 10 0 15 0 10 0 15 0 15 0 15 0 0 10 0 £ s. d. 400 0 0 1 10 0 300 0 0 40 0 0 50 0 0 31 5 0 2 10 0 15 0 2 10 0 4 7 6 37 10 0 -Very fine trees. Poor plants. Strong. Poor crop. Fair crop. Strong. Totals .. 870 17 6

Name of Tree. Number in Seed-beds. Number in Nursery Lines. Height in Inches. Value per Total Value. Thousand. Remarks. 'inUB Austriaca » p mderosa jarix Europsea 'seudo-tsuga taxifolia .. 'inus ponderosa „ Laricio „ muricata tobinia pseudo-acacia , . 40,000 12,500 200,000 25,000 2,000 60,000 7,500 ' 19,000 52,500 ! 313,500 6 to 9 8 to 12 18 to 24 4 to 9 6 to 10 4 to 6 9 to 15 36 to 48 £ s. d. £ s. d. 15 0 50 0 0 \ 15 0 15 12 6 2 5 0 450 0 0 I Healthy, well2 10 0 62 10 0 f rooted plants. 2 5 0 5 0 0 2 5 0 132 . 0 0 2 5 0 16 17 6 Good. 1 10 0 28 10 0 Very strong. 760 10 0 Totals

Name of Tree. Number b Nursery Lines. Height Value in per Inches. Thousand. Total Value. Kemarks. Pseudo-tsuga taxifolia Pinus strobus » Austriaca Berberis aristata 100,000 2,500 150,000 15,000 6 to 12 3 to 6 6 to 10 12 to 18 £ s. d. 3 5 0 3 0 0 3 0 0 1 0 0 £ s. d. 325 0 0 ) 7 10 0 Strong, well-rooted 450 0 0 f plants. 15 0 0 ) 797 10 0 Totals 267,500 •• I

Where sent. Name of Tree. Number of Trees. Value per Thousand. Total Value. Dumgree Plantation Pinus Austriaca .. „ Austriaca.. „ Lari io .. strobun ponderosa.. „ rigida .. .. ... Larix Europsea Pinus ponderosa, var. Benthamiana PseUiio-tsnga taxifolia Betula alba Robinia pseudo-acacia 156,500 21,500 67,500 16,250 17,000 2,400 74,450 2,650 3,000 2,800 1,200 £ s. d. 4 0 0 3 0 0 3 0 0 3 0 0 3 0 0 3 0 0 3 0 0 3 5 0 1 10 0 2 5 0 1 10 0 £ s. d. 626 0 0 64 10 0 202 10 0 48 15 0 51 0 0 7 4 0 223 7 0 8 12 3 4 10 0 6 6 0 1 16 0 365,250 1,244 10 3 110 5 0 0 1 10 0 Awatere Cemetery Trustees State Nursery, Ranfurly Government Biologist, Wellington Pinus radiata .. Becberis aristata Pinus radiata 350 5,000 500 3 0 0 10 0 3 0 0 Rotorua Nursery ( Total 35 tons chaff, at £2 per ton 15 tons hay, at £2 per ton 324 lb. tree-seeds 5 tons chaff, at £2 per ton 371,100 1,252 1 3 70 0 0 30 0 0 17 7 6 10 0 0 Hanmer Springs Nursery Total 1,379 8 9

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Schedule E.—Details of One-year-old Trees.— Details of trees grown at Hanmer Springs Nursery, 1905-6. (Fourth Crop.)

Schedule E 1. —Two-year-old Trees.—Details of Trees grown at Hanmer Springs Nursery, 1904-5. (Third Crop.)

Schedule E2.—Trees transferred from other Nurseries, 1904-5.

Name of Tree. Number Height I Value in in I Seed sown. per Seed-beds. '■ Inches. I Thousand. Total Value. Remarks. Larix Europses. Pinus Laricio .. .. » Austriaca „ ponderosa „ Benthamiana (true) Picea sitchensis 250,000 j 350,000 1 38,000 75,000 j 25,000 ; 12,000 750,000 14-5 11 2 2 2 1 Lb. ! 140 42 i 4 14 7 2 I £ s. d. 10 0 10 0 10 0 10 0 1 5 0 15 0 £ s. d. 250 0 0 350 0 0 38 0 0 75 0 0 31 5 0 15 0 0 I Excellent plants. Very good crop. Strong. Nice crop. Totals 759 5 0

Name of Tree. Larix Europsea Pinus Austriaca Laricio .. ... „ ponderosa „ muricata Pseudo-tsuga taxifolia .. Acer pseudo-platanus .. Picea sitchensis Totals Number in Number Height Nursery in in Lines. Seed-beds. IncheB. .. | 220,000 .. 1 9 .. 100,000 . . I 4 84,000 .. 4 10,000 ! .. ■ 4 32,000 .. 8 .. 15,000 .. 5-12 840 .. 10 : 60,000 4-9 .. 461,840 60,000 Value per Thousand. £ s. d. 2 5 0 2 5 0 2 5 0 2 5 0 2 5 0 ■ 2 10 0 1 10 0 1 10 0 Total Value. Remarks. £ s. d. 495 0 0 Strong plants. 225 0 0 189 0 0 Very healthy stuff. 22 10 0 72 0 o; 37 10 0 Good plants. 1 5 2j For road-lines. 90 0 OiHavemadegoodgrowth 1,132 5 2| 60,000

Name of Tree. Picea exeelsa .. Pseudo-tsuga taxifolia Totals .. Number in Height ! Value Where from. Nursery in per Total Value. Remarks. Lines. Inches. I Thousand. I £ s. d. £ s. d. ..j Rotorua .. 105,000 ] 5-14 j 3 0 0 315 0 0 j Good gress this S9a80 n. ..I Tapanui .. 19,000 8 3 5 0 61 15 0 j .. | .. \ui~(m~ | .. •■ 376 15 0 I I 1 Remarks. Schedule E 3 -Trees transferred to Ha imer Springs Plantati m, 1905-6. Name of Tree. Where from, Number. I Value per Thousand. Total Value. Remarks. i L Pinus Austriaca Pinus ponderosa Larix Europsea Alnus glutinosa Betula alba Hanmer Springs .. 15,110 j 7,175 ! ; 10,000 I 2,100 825 £ s. d. 15 0 15 0 2 5 0 4 0 0 3 0 0 £ s. d. 18 17 9 8 19 4 22 10 0 8 8 0 2 9 6 -Have done well. 35,210 70,900 Tapanui .. ..I 10,000 6,000 725 200 600 17,525 61 4 7 Quercus pedunculata 15 0 88 12 6 Planted in situ. Picea exeelsa Fraxiuus excelsior Robinia pseudo acacia Alnus glutinosa Larix Europeea 3 0 0 15 0 1 10 0 3 0 0 3 0 0 30 0 0 7 10 0 1 1 9 0 12 0 1 16 0 Done fair— few dead I All have done well; j soarcely a death. 40 19 9 As per details above Hanmer .. .. 35,210 Planted in situ .. 70,900 Tapanui .. .. 17,525 j 123,635 ■ ■ I 61 4 7 88 12 6 4Q 19 9 190 16 10 Totals ..

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Schedule F. —One-year-old Trees.— Details of Trees grown at Ruatangata Nursery, 1905-6. (Third Crop.)

Schedule F1. —Two-year-old Trees. —Details of Trees grown at Ruatangata Nursery, 1904-5. (Second Crop.)

Schedule F 2 .—Details of Trees transferred from Ruatangata Nursery to Puhipuhi Plantation, 1905-6.

Approximate Coat of Paper. Preparation, not given; printing (2,200 copies), £SO Is. 6d.|

Authority: John Maokay, Government Printer, Wellington. 1906.

Price is. 3d.

Name. Number in Seed-beds. Height in Inches. Seed Sown. Value per Thousand. Total Value. Remarks. Podocarpus totara .. 250,000 Vitex lucens .. .. 60,000 I'seudo-tsuga taxifolia .. 5,000 6 9 3 Lb. 100 300 I £ s. d. 2 10 0 1 10 0 15 0 £ s. d. 625 0 0 90 0 0 6 5 0 . Even, sturdy, well-ripened I wood ; excellent results. Germinated evenly, strong plants. Remarkable growth. Average growth. Sequoia sempervirens .. 600 gigantea .. 1,000 Pittosporum crassifolium .. 1,000 Fraxinus Americanas .. '■ 500 Eucalyptus corynocalyx .. | 3,000 leucoxylon .. 25,000 margmata .. j 6,000 paniculata .. j 20,000 rostrata .. 40,000 resinifera .. j 16,000 siderophloia .. 25,000 obliqua .. 30,000 Japanese trees and shrubs 100 in variety .. .. , Totals .. .. 483,200 12 6 6 18 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 7 I 3 i 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 4 0 0 2 0 0 ; 2 o o 10 0 : o io o o 10 o o io o 0 10 0 o io o 0 10 0 0 10 0 0 10 0 I 10 0 ,0 2 8 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 0 10 0 1 10 0 12 10 0 3 0 0 10 0 0 20 0 0 8 0 0 12 10 0 15 0 0 1 0 0 Good strong plants. I Good crop; excellent seed. { Perfect weather favoured j seedlings. J Satisfactory. 811 18 0 I I

Name. Number in Nursery Lines. idoht- in Value TilShL Per Total Value. Remarks. incnes. Thousam , Podocarpus totara j £ s. d. £ s. d. ( Partially decimated by wire18 4 5 0 | 212 10 0 j worm; balance good proj ( gress. 4 110 0 io 0 0 I Lined .in under frames ;suc6 10 0 2 0 0 j <^mgwell. 3 2 0 0 8 0 0 Slow in growth. 18 3 10 0 10 10 0 Spendid growth. 18 2 5 0 22 10 0 Lined out, good; transferred ■ ■ from Rotorua. £ s. d. £ s. d. 50,000 18 4 5 0 212 10 0 „ dacrydioides Aleotryon excels um Phyllocladus trichomanoides Vitex lucens Pinus matitima 80,000 20,000 2,000 4,000 3,000 10,000 4 4 6 3 18 18 1 10 0 1 10 0 10 0 2 0 0 3 10 0 2 5 0 120 0 0 30 0 0 2 0 0 8 0 0 10 10 0 22 10 0 Totals 169,000 405 10 0

Name of Tree. i Number. ThousS. Total Value - Remarks. Remarks. Podooarpus totara.. „ dacrydioides Juglans nigra Eucalyptus corymbosa „ corynocalyx crebra leucoxylon marginata maeulata „ paniculata resinifera „ rostrata siderophloia £ s. d. ! £ s. d. 61,500 I 4 5 0 I 261 7 6 ) Making slow growth, but in a 550 j 3 0 0 : 1 13 0 |f healthy state. 550 3 0 0 . 1 13 0 Growing well. 15,200 | 1 10 0 ! 22 16 0 j) 780 [ 1 10 0 1 3 4 | 18,000 : 1 10 0 27 0 0 18,000 | 1 10 0 27 0 0 j All these trees were mossed, and 880 ' 1 10 0 16 4 are growing well, with exception 2,800 1 10 0 4 4 0 j of E. cornyoealyx and E. co17,000 1 10 0 25 10 0 rymbosa. 5,000 1 10 0 7 10 0 8,400 1 10 0 12 12 0 10,000 1 10 0 15 0 0 158,660 .. | 408 15 2 ; Totals ..

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