C—lb

14

supply. From Eltham, in Taranaki, another gentleman writes that " the Catalpa have made a miraculous growth of fully 4 ft. in one season. A few of them were planted in the, Ngaire swamp, but they have not made much growth there; but I am getting some splendid fences on this swamp from seedless gorse, after trying without success almost everything, such as Berberis, box-thorn, &c." It might be again pointed out that the only obstacle met with in the Rotorua district in growing the Catalpa was unseasonable frosts. The trees have successfully withstood 15° Fahr. in the winter, but frosts occurring in December have cut them back to the ground. During last winter a surplus stock of larch in this nursery was offered to the public, tenders being asked for through the medium of most of the weekly newspapers in the colony. One lot of a thousand was disposed of, this being the only application received. Buildings. —When the sizing of seedlings and mossing of trees was in progress last winter, it was found that the sizing-shed was too small to accommodate all the workers, and it became necessary to leave the implements out of doors and use a portion of the implement-shed for that purpose. In order, therefore, to increase the accommodation of the sizing-shed, the studs were lengthened and the building converted into a two-storied one, thus giving twice as much room as before. The office, which was paititioned off in the sizing-shed, was also done away with, and a detached and more commodious building erected. The number of trees of all ages in the nursery at 31st March, 1907, was 6,565.050, valued at £8,871 12s. 6d. Trees sent out to plantations during the year number 3,282,361, and their value £7,000 17s. 9d. ; and the number of trees sent out to date is 12,987,932, valued at £28,510 9s. 2d. The number of trees grown since the initiation of the nursery is 19,552,982, valued at £37,382 Is. Bd. Schedules of trees in stock and sent out, and details of expenditure and values, are appended. Average number employed during the year : Men, 23-95 ; women, 5-54 : total, 29-49. Following is a record of rainfall and temperature for the year:—

Statement of Accounts. Expenditure. £ s. d. Amount at the 31st March, 1906 ... ... ... ...17,763 7 2 Tree-growing ... ... ... ... ■■■ ■ •• 2,200 15 6 General maintenance and repairs ... ... ... ... 292 16 9 Nursery-formation ... ... .. •■■ ••• 540 7 Horse-feed ... 52 17 8 Manures ... ... ... ... ••• ... ■•• 63 12 5 Tree-seeds 177 9 9 Tools, implements, &c. ... ... ... ... ■•• 30 19 2 Water-supply, Extension 0f... ... ... ... ••• 26 13 6 Buildings—office, additions to workshop, and men's quarters ... 413 411 Miscellaneous works ... ... ... ... ••• 11 6 6 Supervision ... ■ ... ... ... ... ••• 38 14 .0 £21.612 4 5 Note.—Revenue amounting to £64 Be. Bd. was received during the year, ohiefly from saie of trees.

Month. Rainfall. Number of Days Bain fell. Highest Reading of Thermometer, j Date. Lowest Reading of Thermometer. Date. 1906. Inohes. 406 Degrees. 79 Degrees. 31 April 17 21st and 26th 2nd 1st 19th and 25th 22nd 20th 30th 21st and 22nd 16th 24th May June July 5-36 2-41 8-42 14 8 24 75 72 69 29 23 24 5th 11th 31st August September October November 305 9-45 1-53 3-91 12 18 9 14 72 77 77 79 19 24 28 30 6th 13th 2nd and 3rd Uth December 1907. 3-29 14 81 36 10th January February March 13-85 8-61 509 15 13 16 84 83 77 25th 12th 25th 33 42 42 21st 22nd 20th and 2 let Totals 6903 174