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Schedule 3.—Three-year-old Trees, grown 1906-7. (Fifth Crop.)

T. B. Cuble, Nurseryman in Charge.

Tapanui Nursery. (Area, 120 acres; altitude, 500ft.) Rain fell on 157 days, with a total precipitation of 39'92 in., the maximum monthly fall being 8'99 in., in July. The highest shade temperature recorded was 88°, on the sth February, and the lowest 24°, on the 12th July. On the whole, the season has been most favourable for nursery operations. Excessive rain fell during July, but in the two succeeding months, when transplanting of seedlings was in progress, ideal weather-conditions prevailed, and enabled the work to be carried out cheaply and satisfactorily. Towards mid-summer a dry spell, lasting about two months, was experienced, but trees had developed sufficiently by that time to withstand the partial drought, which rendered general hoeing and weeding an easy matter. Much success has attended nursery operations this season, but the destructive grass grubs still exist in large numbers, and were responsible for the failure of some thousands of larch. Small amounts of oak and ash were sown during the winter, and gave fair results, but the latter seed again proved to be somewhat unsatisfactory, and this necessitated heavy sowing in drills. The present supply of ash-seed in pits, however, is in excellent condition, and a favourable germination of same may be anticipated in the coming spring. The main sowing was commenced on the 10th October, and completed ten days later. The estimated number of seedlings raised is 2,527,000, valued at £2,590 10s. Although the larch beds are not so successful as in the previous year, fully half a million plants should be sturdy enough for transference to lines next spring. The pines are an even crop, and compare favourably with former results. An experimental sowing of 12 oz. of Thuja gigantea produced over 30,000 small trees; but a trial of the new Abyssinian fibre plant, Ka fumba, was not so successful, as after the seed had germinated well, and plants had reached a height of about 5 in., an early frost destroyed the lot. Transplanting of seedlings was commenced on the 17th of August, and during the ensuing seven weeks 1,367,500 trees were lined out, at a cost of 2s. 2d. per thousand. 770,000 smaller plants were also " lined in closely," at a cost of s|d. per thousand. A system of closer planting was adopted this year, and the labour-cost of dealing with the trees was greatly reduced. Nearly the whole of the one-year-old larch were transferred to lines, and a finer lot of trees has not been grown at this station. A large proportion have developed with remarkable vigour, and will require to be given specially sheltered situations on plantations. The lined-in trees average about 12 in. in height, and are most suitable for planting by the bar method. The removal of about 40,000 Pinus Laricio, one-year-olds, to lines was attended with an unusual percentage of deaths, and this should prove conclusively that the system adopted here of allowing these pines to remain two years in beds before transplanting gives the best results. A number of Sequoia sempervirens, from Kurow Nursery, were lined out, and, although they have up to the present made excellent headway, it is more than likely that heavy frosts will establish the unsuitability of this class of tree for our locality.

Name of Tree. Number in Height Nursery in Lines. Inches. Value per Thousand. Total Value. Remarks. iarix Europsea .. 'inus Larioio „ Austriaca Totals 117,000 291,000 81,000 .. 489,000 18 8-12 6-9 ■ £ s. d. £ s. d. 3 0 0 351 0 0 3 0 0 873 0 0 3 0 0 243 0 0 1,467 0 0 Excellent crop. Good crop. Schedule 4.—Trees tn .sferred ;o Hanmer Springs PI; tation. Name of Tree. Number. Value peiThousand. Total Value. Remarks. jarix Europsea 'inus Larioio _._. „ ponderosa .. „ muricata ietula alba ;. 'icea sitchensis Inus glutinosa 'seudo-tsuga taxifolia lobiniapseudo acacia 378,985 211,330 50,425 6,690 1,585 56,480 16,845 11,000 3,000 736,340 £ s. d. 2 5 0 2 5 0 2 5 0 3 0 0 3 0 0 3 0 0 2 0 0 2 10 0 0 15 0 £ s. d. 852 14 0 475 10 0 113 9 0 20 1 4 4 15 1 169 8 10 33 13 8 27 10 0 2 5 0 Very good growth. Good growth. Fair growth. Totals 1,699 6 11