27

C —IB

Conical Hills Plantation, near Tapanui, Otago. (Area, 3,672 acres ; altitude, 400 ft.) The past unusually dry season has not been at all conducive to satisfactory results in tree-planting operations, although it is pleasing to note that trees established not only resisted the influence of the drought, but in many cases made excellent progress. Such success, however, did not attend last season's planting, when the death-rate was estimated at about 5 per cent. There were 632,708 trees planted by day-labour, at a cost of 13s. 4§d. per thousand, and occupying an area of 232J acres, and the preparation of ground and planting of 236,500 acorns was carried on at a cost of 11s. lid. per thousand. The area planted for the year amounted to 281 J acres, making a total of 946J acres, containing 2,943,379 trees. For tree-planting 431,350 pits were made by contract at a cost of £1 ss. per thousand, but on apportioning the Forester's salary this cost per thousand works out at £1 6s. lid. There were also 43,034 grubber pits prepared, at £1 per thousand ; actual cost, £1 2s. Bd. per thousand. Tree-planting with bar will be introduced at this station during the coming year, and for that purpose 8,000 spots were prepared by simply " scuffling." Ploughing of roads and fire-breaks with nursery team occupied about four weeks, , and as planting extends and more roads and breaks are required, it will probably be found that the one team will have difficulty in working the three stations at required periods. Roads ploughed were allowed to remain in their rough state for some months, and then received a few strokes with the harrows. A strip of ground about a quarter of a chain wide and 150 chains long, on the outside of boundaryfence, was also ploughed, and tussocks burnt back from this point to lessen risk of encroaching fires. The whole of the fenced area is now pitted, and the Department have resumed for extension purposes four small grazing-runs adjoining, with a total of 2,622 acres. A dwellinghouse and outhouses and four small huts are included in the property, which has been leased temporarily at a half-yearly rental of £73 7s. 10d. Fencing operations are now progressing, and it is hoped to have the work completed before the winter. The nursery wagon again requiring complete overhauling, authority has been given for the purchase of a new one of heavier type, which should enable the cartage of trees to be carried out more economically and expeditiously. General Maintenance. —Unseasonable frosts are frequently responsible for the sudden checking of growth in young trees, which invariably results in double shoots issuing from the apex of leaders, necessitating the removal of one of them. This work occupied a portion of the time, and cleaning around trees, rabbiting of newly acquired area, cutting scrub, and removal of noxious weeds were also undertaken by day-labour. Arrangements are being made for the planting of 400,000 trees here during the coming spring. The expenditure for the year amounted to £2,782 11s. 5d., providing employment for an average of seventeen men. Expenditure. £ s. d. Amount at the 31st March, 1906 ... ... ... ...5,500 10 3 Cost of acquiring 2,622 acres for extension purposes ... ... 750 0 0 Pitting— 431,350 pits ... ... ... ... ... ... 580 11 3 43,034 grubber pits ... ... ... ... ... 48 15 7 Preparing 8,000 spots for planting with bar ... ... 6 17 9 Tree-planting—632,7oB trees ... ... ... ... 423 7 6 Preparing ground and planting 236,500 acorns... ... ... 141 1 3 Cartage of trees from Tapanui Nursery ... ... . . 18 0 0 General upkeep of plantation ... ... ... ... 314 11 7 Fencing—material and part labour ... ... ... ... 341 14 10 Tools, implements, &c. ... ... ... ... ... 17 15 2 Road-formation ... ... ... •■• ••• ... 26 8 6 Tree-seeds—acorns, and railage ... ... ... ... 7 10 0 Miscellaneous works ... ... ... ... ... 52 2 0 Nurseryman's salary, Proportion of ... ... ... ... 31 0 0 Supervision ... ... .. ... ... ... 22 16 0 £8,283 1 8 Note.—Revenue received : Half-yearly rental amounting to £73 7s. 10d., for the lease of extension property for grazing purposes, from Ist January to 30th June, 1907. H. Howe, Forester. I R. G. Robinson, Nurseryman , in Charge. Dumgree Plantation, Marlborough. (Area, 881 acres ; altitude, 100 ft.) Free and prison labour was again employed on this plantation, but owing to a much larger number of trees having to be dealt with, free labour had to be greatly increased, and the larger portion of the work has been done by free men.