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Nasbbt Survey Paddock Plantation, Otago (Area, 175 acres; altitude, 1,900 ft.) During the year trees at the above plantation have made very satisfactory growth, notwithstanding the very dry season. The best success has been attained by Pinus Laricio, P. ponderosa, P. Benthamiana, and Larix Europcea, which have made splendid growth. Trees to the number of 27,125 were planted out, at an average cost of £1 Is. per thousand. The area planted still remains at 132 J acres, as the above were used to fill blanks. During the coming spring this plantation will be completed, and an area on what is known as the Naseby Commonage is proposed to be taken in for further planting. Expenditure. £ s. d. Amount at 31st March, 1907 ... ... ... ... 1,832 3 5 Tree-planting ... ... ... ... ... ... 29 15 0 Cartage of trees ... ... .. ... ... ... 310 0 General upkeep of plantation ... ... ... ... 106 4 0 Wire netting, freight, and erection ... ... ... ... 39 12 0 Buildings—workmen's quarters ... ... ... ... 19 4 0 Tools ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 16 6 Horse-feed purchased ... ... ... 5 15 6 Proportion of Nurseryman's salary ... ... ... ... 34 0 0 Supervision ... ... ... ... ... ... 200 £2,073 10 5 A. W. Roberts, Nurseryman in Charge. GiMMBKBURN Plantation Reserve, near Nasebt, Otago. (Area, 1,200 acres, altitude, 1,200 ft.) The trees at the above plantation have not done well, owing to the prolonged drought, nearly all this season's planting having died. This is the third successive year of drought experienced at this station, and when the present area is filled further planting will be done elsewhere. An area of 105 acres was sown down in oats, but the crop turned nut very poorly, there being only 56 tons of sheaves. An area of 20 acres of self-sown oats was cut, the yield being 14 tons, also twenty sacks of oats were got by stripping. Oats and sheaf to the value of £36 10s. 10d. were transferred to nurseries, and the value of oats in stock is £165 10s. 10d. The number of trees planted during the year was 250,800, but of this number 178,800 blanks had to be replaced. The area covered to date is 173 J acres, and the area for the past season is 26 J acres. The cost of planting and digging (half-pits) was 16s. 7d. per thousand. The average number of hands employed was 327 (wages). Expenditure. £ s. d. Amount at 31st March, 1907 ... ... ... ... 1,605 5 5 Tree-planting ... ... ... ... ... ... 216 15 4 Cartage ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 13 13 0 General upkeep of plantation ... ... ... ... 94 15 6 Horse-feed purchased and grown ... ... ... ... 31 6 6 Miscellaneous works ... ... ... ... ... 0 18 6 ■ Salaries, Nurseryman's proportion of, and travelling-expenses ... 33 0 0 Supervision ... ... ... ... ... ... 400 £1,999 14 3 A. W. EOBEETS,

Nurseryman in Charge. Dusky Hill Plantation, Otaqo. (Area, 845 acres; altitude, 400 ft. to 800 ft.) Tree-planting on this area last season was completed at an early date under excellent conditions, but during the two ensuing months rainfall was extremely limited, and, although established trees gave little signs of cessation of progress, much concern was felt for the result of the year's planting. Copious rains, however, fell at a critical time, and no traces of the partial drought are now noticeable beyond a few failures in the bar-planting blocks. 235,885 trees were planted in grubber-pits by day-labour, at 12s. sjd. per thousand, and 239,250 put in by the bar method at Bs. lfd. The amount of ground planted for the year is 174£ acres, and the total area under trees at present is 505J acres, containing 1,276,167 trees. The new wagon, which proved to be of a most desirable type, rendered transference of trees from Tapanui Nursery an easy matter, and during the winter months twenty-two trips were made. An expenditure of £9 19s. 3d. was incurred in railage of trees from Starborough Nursery, making a total carriage-cost of £25 19s. 3d. 649,079 grubber-pits were prepared by day-laßour at 15s. 9Jd. per thousand, and 502,681 scuffled spots for bar planting at Bs. 9Jd.