C.—l.

The deciduous trees are not a success, being mostly all sickly in appearance, and tb, > growth very stunted. In the grass paddock Chewing's fescue and cocksfoot have got well established, and form quite excellent feed. Waiotapu. Abies excelsa, Abies menziesii, and Abies douglassi are thriving splendidly here ; many of them have made over 18 in. of growth this season. Larch have also made wonderful growth, but havo suffered from wind in the same manner as those at Kaiangaroa. Pinus austriaca and Pinus laricio seem quite at home here, having made fine growth this season. Sycamore and ash are not looking well. Oaks are healthy-looking; also Spanish chestnuts, Tarukenga. At this plantation the whole of the Conifers —viz., Abies excelsa, Abies menziesri, Abies douglassi, Pinus austriaca, and larch—have made excellent growth. The larch are particularly good, and thoroughly established. The English ash have made fine growth on the northern aspect, where the soil seems of a heavier nature than elsewhere, and Spanish chestnuts have done well throughout. As the fern is rather high in places within this enclosure, it would be advisable to have some of it cleared away, and the ploughing of a fire-break is urgently needed, for a number of fires have recently occurred in this locality. Sanatorium Grounds and Pabk, Rotobua. Several necessary alterations and improvements have been effected during the year, particularly in places in close proximity to the Hospital buildings, and which come most frequently under the eye of visitors. Alongside the walk leading from the Hinemoa Street entrance to the Hospital on the south side were a number of very unsightly Conifers, whose removal was necessary in order that the whole plot might be trenched, levelled, and sown with grass. These trees were accordingly removed, and the improvements referred to carried out, and a number of light and graceful deciduous trees were substituted for those dispensed with. Close to this same entrance-gate is a neat design in grass, which was getting rather disfigured in one portion owing to the presence of sulphur in the soil. This burnt-up portion has been made the site of a neat rockery, and planted with suitable alpines and annuals, and these have given a nice display of bloom throughout the summer. A sulphurous patch in the grass, close to the Blue Bath, was also improved by the erection of a fair-sized rockery. The most important undertaking during the year has been the formation of a bowling-green, 180 ft. by 180 ft. (including terrace-walks and flower-border). The site is close to the tennis-lawn on the eastern side, and, as the ground was in a very rough state (being formerly used as a rubbish depot), the labour involved in trenching and levelling was considerable, A vast quantity of petrified rock was removed in trenching (which was carried out to an average depth of 4: ft.) to allow of water percolating to the sandy strata beneath. Nine hundred and thirty yards of soil was required to raise the ground to the proper level. Nothing more than the formation of the green was accomplished iii the spring, and during the summer months tho surface has been well worked with the horse-hoe, and all weeds and roots raked off and burnt. The grass-seed sown has germinated very evenly throughout. The extension of water-pipes from the corner of Blue Bath to the green will allow of the convenient watering of the same during dry weather. A rough and unsightly piece of ground at the southern end of the bowling-green site, and upon which a clump of Pinus insignis was growing, was taken in hand and thoroughly renovated. The trees were removed, the ground dug up and the whole sown with grass, and ornamental trees of different kinds were planted at proper distances apart. The centre of this plot was selected for the band rotunda, now in course of erection. Behind the Blue Bath buildings an area 90 ft. by 90 ft. was trenched, levelled, and laid out as a roserv. It contains a hundred and twenty plants, which include all known varieties of sterling merit. The display of bloom from these all through the summer has been very fine. Ihe large rhododendrons which were overgrowing the paths in front of the Hospital were removed to the bowling-green border, and have since done extremely well, notwithstanding their large size. Several large gum-trees growing near the gardener's cottage were taken down, as there was a danger of their falling on the house. Although some of these trees were 2 ft. in diameter at their base they had very little root-hold, and the wisdom of having them removed from this locality was beyond question. Due attention was paid to the various flower-borders, and a fine show of bloom has been apparent throughout the spring and summer. Much has been done in the way of renovating trees that have been encroached upon by their neighbours to such an extent that many are past recovery through untimely thinning. The old adage " Plant thick, but thin quick " has not been observed in former years, and consequently many fine specimens have been ruined, growth and development retarded, and the work of recovery slow and unsatisfactory. The blame for this should largely be laid on the public, who from a sentiment —the growth of ignorance of the necessities of the case—loudly cry out against the " v*»"dal " who would dare to cut down a tree. In the general formation of the grounds many changes and improvements have been effected, and further additions contemplated in the near future, which should still further increase its attractions. In selecting sites for new groups of ornamental trees care has been taken that the trees, when fully developed, will not interfere with the fine view of the lake as seen from the bowlinggreen or its immediate vicinity. Here and there the native scrub has been removed in order to

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