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C—lβ

Waitahuna Plantation, Otago. (Dredged area, 12 acres; altitude, 331 ft.) Residents of this district report that, owing to an unusually dry spring being experienced, agriculture generally was greatly interfered with, but no sign of even a partial drought is noticeable throughout the area planted under trees. The distance of this station from Tapanui forbids frequent visits of a Forester, and the Department is indebted to a resident tree-planting enthusiast for his courtesy in supplying occasional reports relating to the progress of trees. The species that gave the most promise of success during the first year's operations continue to thrive, particularly English birch, which have added in many cases 4 ft. to their height. Larch and alder are also developing beyond expectations, and the progress is more pronounced with each succeeding year. Pinus ponderosa, P. Austriaca, and P. muricata are all producing sturdy leaders, and many of these trees have attained a height of 3 ft. The spruces unfortunately experienced a sharp frost in September, and were unable to make a satisfactory recovery by the end of the growing season. Very little headway has been made by either oak, ash, or sycamore, although where the surface consists of a large proportion of clay deposit, the oak has shown to better advantage. ■ Gorse and broom are spreading quickly, and, although an expenditure of £6 18s. was last year devoted to tire cutting of same, a recent inspection of the plantation shows that urgent attention in this direction is again required. There is no doubt that the block, being surrounded by immense gorse bushes, will continue to be a germinating-ground for these noxious plants, and it would probably be advantageous to remove the varieties of trees that are not succeeding on the plantation and replace same with the fast-growing larch. The river overflowed its banks and flooded a small portion of the reserve without creating any damage to trees or boundary-fence. The expenditure for the year amounted to £14 10s. 6d., and gave employment to one man for three weeks.

Statement of Expenditure. „ , Amount at 31st March, 1908 ... ... ... ... 166 10 3 General upkeep of plantation ... ... ... ... 6 18 0 Nurseryman's proportion of salary, and travelling-expenses ... 7 12 6 £183 0 9 R. G. Robinson, Forester in Charge.

Reference-list of Forest Trees and Shrubs grown at the various Nurseries and Plantations, 1908-9. (E, evergreen ; D, deciduous.)

Name of Tree. '1 Synonym. Common Name. Habitat. Lcacia melanoxylon (E) tcer saccharum (D) „ pseudo-platanus (D) .. Esculus hippocastanum (D) .Inus glutinosa (D) Setula alba (D) Serberis aristata (D) 'astanea sativa (D) 'atalpa speciosa (D) lhamsecyparis Lawsoniana (E) lordyline Australis (E) „ indivisa (E) lucalyptus amygdalina (E) Acer saccharinum Castanea vesca Bignonia catalpa Cupressus Lawsoniana Blackwood Sugar-maple Sycamore Horse-chestnut - .. Alder Silver-birch Barberry Sweet or Spanish chestnut.. Hardy catalpa Lawson's cypress, or whitecedar Ti, or cabbage-tree Toi Almond-leaved peppermint-South-east Australia. North America. Europe and Asia. South-east Europe. Europe and Asia. Europe. Northern India. Europe and Asia. United States. Northern California. „ Australis indivisa New Zealand. South Island, New Zealand. Victoria, New South Wales, and Tasmania. South-west Australia. New South Wales and Gippsland. New South Wales and South Queensland. Alpine districts of Tasmania. South-east Australia. New South Wales and Queensland. South west Australia. Tasmania and Victoria. Victoria, New South Wales, and Tasmania. Tasmania and Victoria. South Australia. Victoria. South-west Australia. Mountains of Tasmania. New South Wales and Queensland. Victoria, New South Wales Tasmania. Ditto. calophylla (E) .. capitellata (E) .. corymbosa (E).. gum Red-gum.. Head-flowered stringy-bark Bloodwood coccifera (E) .. corynocalyx (E) crebra (E) Mountain-peppermint Sugar-gum Narrow-leaved ironbark fioifolia (E) globulus (E) .. Gunnii (E) Scarlet-flowering gum Blue-gum Cider-gum hsemastoma (E) leuooxylon (E) macrorhyncha(E) marginata (E) .. „ ' Muellerii (E) .. maculata (E) .. Eucalyptus sideroxylon Gum-topped stringy-bark .. Victorian red ironbark Stringy-bark of Victoria Jarrah Mountain red-gum Spotted gum obliqua (E) Stringy-bark or messmate .. pauciflora (E) .. I Eucalyptus coriacea .. White or drooping gum