RANGITIKEI SAND-DUNE EXPERIMENTAL STATION.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XXXVI, Issue 2, 20 February 1928, Page 117

RANGITIKEI SAND-DUNE EXPERIMENTAL STATION.

Recent work at this station, which is operated by the State Forest Service, is referred to in the annual report of the Service for 1926-27 as under The knowledge and experience gained from the experimental work which has been carried out at the station since May, 1921, has enabled larger areas to be ’treated during the year with better results and at a lower cost per acre. Marram-grass was planted on 372 acres, and, although winds of high velocity were frequent and the rainfall low during the planting season, a very successful establishment was obtained. The area of sand-dunes now planted with marram-grass is 1,045 acres. The planting of exotic pines on the stabilized marram-covered dunes was continued, and 88,650 trees were planted on 130 acres, bringing the total area planted to 315 acres. Between the dunes there is a. large area of low-lying rush country which cannot be drained sufficiently for tree-growing owing to the lack of fall. As it is desirable to put this land to profitable use, two experimental plots of flax [Phormium tenaP) were formed. The result to date is most promising, but it is yet too early to decide whether it will be a profitable undertaking to plant the whole of the wet area, which amounts to over 1,000 acres. Experimental plots of flax and toetoe were also established immediately to the rear of the fore-dune, to ascertain if these species will afford the shelter necessary before trees can be planted successfully in such an exposed position. An • experimental planting of kikuyu-grass was also made, and where the sand is less than 1 ft. deep it is growing well and is forming a dense mat. Elsewhere it failed to strike. The tree nursery at Tangimoana supplied 100,300 transplants, which were used in the 1926 planting and to fill the blanks in the work of previous years. Seedlings to the number of 140,000 were transplanted for use in the 1927 planting season.

Noxious-weeds Orders. — The Mangonui County Council has declared winged thistle to be a noxious weed within that county. Gorse has been similarly declared in Kairanga County. Registration of Orchards. — Regulations under the Orchard and Garden Diseases Act, gazetted on 19th January, prescribe that applications for registration of orchards shall be made to the Director of. the Horticulture Division, Department of Agriculture, in the month of January each year (instead of September as hitherto). Forms of application may be obtained from the Director, or from any district office or Orchard Instructor of the Department. “ Orchard ”is defined as “ any land used for the growing of fruit-trees and the production of fruit for sale,” and includes areas carrying fruit-trees that may not have come into bearing.