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investigated, and a market for the hides seems likely. Experience shows that, next to deer, goats are the animals most destructive to forest-life, for they browse on all kinds of vegetation and young growth from sea-level to snow-line, and consequently forest-regeneration is seriously retarded, if not actually destroyed. Fortunately, they can be killed fairly readily by organized shooting parties, and for this reason are never likely to become such a serious pest as deer or pigs. 6. Establishment of Man-made Forests. State Forestation. The greatly increased planting operations in Rotorua region and the creation of new plantation units in other parts of the Dominion have enabled the Service to more than reach the year's objective of 25,000 acres of new exotic plantations, as in all 35,106 acres were actually established, which, brings the total to date 133,997 acres. It is apparent, therefore, that the State planting programme of 300,000 acres of trees by the year 1935, which when it was first announced was no doubt regarded in some quarters as somewhat ambitious and unduly optimistic, is now well in advance of schedule, and if the present planting-rate be maintained for the next seven years—and indications all point to this end —the grand, total at the end of that period will be considerably in excess of the figure mentioned. The policy of using only inferior-quality land for planting purposes will be continued, and by this means not only are overhead costs reduced to a minimum, but waste lands which might otherwise be a liability to the State, owing to the propagation of weeds and noxious vermin, will be turned into a very valuable asset. Summarized figures in regard to the year's planting appear below : —

Summary of Operations on State Plantations during the Year ended 31st March, 1928, and Total Area planted.

Local-government Forest Activities. In the North Island a slight advance has been made in regard to what may be called communal forestry. During the season the total area forested in this way is estimated to be 300 acres, planted by thirty-two local governing bodies, the principal ones being : —Thames Valley Power Board, 20 acres (for transmission-poles); Rangitikei County Council, 17 acres ; Whangarei Borough Council, 58 acres ; Tauranga Harbour Board, 36 acres ; Whakatane County Council, 27 acres; and Wellington City Council, 30 acres. Local-body planting in the South Island, although not perhaps so rapid as in the North, is making steady progress, and as the wisdom of foresting waste and useless portions of the public domain become more universally recognized greater strides in this direction may be confidently expected. Treeplanting was carried out by seventeen local bodies, including Christchurch and Dunedin City Councils, Selwyn Plantation Board, and Mackenzie, Waimari, and Ashburton County Councils. The largest individual planting was done by Dunedin City Council, which planted 605,800 trees, and proposes next year to afforest a total area of 1,000 acres. Industrial Companies. Two coal mining companies in the North Island suffered rather severe losses from fire during the very dry summer, 240 acres of wattle-trees (Acacia) intended for use as mine-props being totally destroyed. This may possibly necessitate replanting part of the area in eucalypts. A third company carries out an annual planting programme of about 30 acres of insignis pine. Tree-planting Companies and Syndicates. Two public afforestation companies ceased to exist and several new ones were registered during the year. It is interesting to note that a number of companies financed by Australian capital have secured extensive planting-areas and are now operating in the Dominion. Final statistics of the

N . f rp Total Area Forest Plantation. um , er ° , rees J New Area planted. planted in Trees, P lanted - . 1896-1928. Acres. Acres. Riverhead .. .. .. .. 1,807,149 2,615 2,668 Kaingaroa .. .. .. .. 12,889,730 22,768 75,503 Karioi .. .. .. .. .. 906,205 1,306 1,306 Golden Downs .. .. .. .. 335,920 494 494 Hanmer Springs .. .. .. 567,725 779 7,900 Balmoral .. .. .. .. 3,638,716 5,358 13,016 Blue Mountains .. .. .. .. 692,635 988 3,256 Experiment group .. .. .. 50,855 798 2,537 Plantations on maintenance basis .. .. .. .. 27,317 Totals .. .. .. 21,346,635 35,106 133,997