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APPENDICES.

APPENDIX No. 1. Canterbuey Plantation Board Eeport. Sir,— Windermere, 10th May, 1887. When reporting to you last year upon the work of the Plantation Board in Canterbury, negotiations were in progress for vesting the bulk of the plantation reserves in the County Councils of Selwyn and Ashbnrton, and I concluded that my work in connection with them was at an end. But, as the planting season approached, it became evident that the transfer would not be completed until the planting season was over. The members of the Board therefore requested me to proceed with the work, to avoid the loss of the entire season. I have now much pleasure in reporting that the amount of work done last spring was greater than during any previous year, comprising in all 653 acres. Of this area, 291 acres were sown with blue-gum seed, 92 acres were sown with wattle- and gum-seed mixed, and 270 acres were planted with pines and other forest-trees, in terms of the appended specification. The contracts were let upon exceedingly favourable terms, varying from £2 ss. to £2 10s. per acre, for supplying and planting 435 trees per acre, under substantial guarantees for their maintenance. You will observe that 60per cent, of the trees supplied are valuable forest-trees, the other 40 per cent being inferior trees of quick growth, introduced as nurses to shelter the more valuable kinds. The experience of this season has proved the ability of our nurserymen to supply large quantities of young trees at a very low price indeed, being about ljd. per tree upon the total average. This information will be of value to those settlers who desire to obtain shelter by means of plantations, but are deterred trom doing so by erroneous ideas of the costliness of the work. Neither is the preparation of the ground an expensive process, the land being ploughed, rolled, and harrowed at a cost varying from 12s. to £1 per acre, the latter price being paid only where the land is rough and full of large stones. The whole of the land planted this season shows a very healthy growth of young trees, indicating that the method of treating the ground is efficient as well as cheap. The gum- and wattle-seed also made, a good start in the spring. I commend the plantations to the vigilance of those who are now intrusted with their management to protect the young trees against the trespassing of sheep and cattle, which, I regret to say, is often permitted by the very men whose properties will be sheltered and beautified by the plantations, if protected in their early growth. I have, &c, Edwaed Weight, Chairman, Canterbury Plantation Board. James McKerrow, Esq., Surveyor-General, Wellington.

APPENDIX No. 2. Canterbury Plantation Board. Specification of work to bo psrformed in planting 200 acres in the County of Ashburtion with pines and other trees enumerated below : —The; land to be planted comprises five blocks, situate as under : Fifty acres near Valetta Railway-station ; forty acres near Anama Railway-station ; thirty acres near Cavendish Railway-station : forty acres near Coskerie's, at Mayfield ; forty acres near Ballantyne's, Eangitata. These several blocks of land are being ploughed bin. deep, and rolled and liarrowed, preparatory to the planting. The entire area of each block is to be planted with trees (of the kind scheduled below) 10ft. apart in line and row, taking 435 trees to the acre. The trees are to consist of 20 per cent. Pinus insignia, 10 per cent. Pinus laricio, 20 per cent, larch, 10 per cent. Cupressus macrocarpa, 10 per cent. Gupressns lawsoniana, 10 per cent. Abies excelsa, 10 per cent. Abies menziesii, 10 per cent, silver birch. The trees are all to be good of their kind, and all twoyear old transplanted trees, except the Pinus insignis, which are to be one year old. The trees are to be planted in blocks or groups of the several sorts as may be directed, to secure protection to the kinds most needing it. The trees are to be well and carefully planted to the satisfaction of the Board, and the whole work completed by the 7th October next. Any trees failing to grow are to he replaced continually until the 30th September, 1888. Payment will be made upon completion of the work to the extent of 60 per cent, of the contract sum, a further payment of 30 per cent, will be made at the end of three months should a fair proportion of the trees appear to be thriving, and the balance of 10 per cent, will be retained as a guarantee for the replacement of those that may die. Any trees failing to grow may be replaced either in the autumn or spring following, and the 10 per cent, retained may be paid to the contractor at the expiration of fifteen months after the first planting, if the Board shall be satisfied that the trees are all living. Tenders may be sent in for one or more blocks, and, should the parties tendering be unable to supply the full complement of the specified kind, they may submit alternative tenders to suit the trees which their nurseries can furnish; but Pinus sylvesiris, Pinus pinaster, and Pinus austriaca will not be accepted in any combination. The Board do not bind themselves to accept the lowest or any tender. Tenders for the above must be addressed to the undersigned, and sent in not later than Saturday, the 4th September, accompanied by a deposit equal to 5 per cent, of the amount tendered, the deposit to be returned upon completion of flhe planting in October next. Edward D. Weight. Windermere, 27th August, 1886. • Chairman.