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the autumn, and the balance—l 6 acres —in the spring. The autumn-sown crop was a very poor one, the yield being 4 tons, and this is attributed to the dry weather already referred to. From the 16 acres sown in the spring 20 tons of splendid sheaf was harvested, and this is now in stack, and will be cut as required. For winter use 6 tons of clover hay was saved and stacked. During an average year 45 tons of chaff are consumed, so that it will be necessary to purchase chaff this year in order to make up the deficiency caused by the failure of our own crop. Manuring. —The unoccupied jxtrtions of the nursery were sown with rye, for ploughing in as a manurial crop. This is a very hardy and quick-growing plant, and, if sown early in the year, requires to be ploughed in a month after sowing. Next year it is proposed to apply ground limestone to a large portion of the nursery, and also sow down what land can be spared for two years with clover. It is only by such methods that the fertility of the soil can be maintained, as the quantity of stable manure available is sufficient only for dressing land intended for seed-beds, where heavy demands are made upon the soil by crops of seedlings. Nursery Extension. —Work under this heading comprised chiefly the clearing and ploughing of a portion of the nursery-area adjoining the Cemetery Reserve, which has remained in its wild state, covered with a dense growth of manuka and other native plants. This work will be gone on with as time permits; and it is intended to use the land for paddocks or for cropping purposes, as it is mostly poor and irregular in shape, and unsuited for laying out into nursery beds. The number of trees sent out during the year is 5,320,230, and their value £9,021 Us. 7d. (details in schedule appended), and the output of trees to date is 33,719,305, valued at £69,540 10s. Id. Trees at present in the nursery number 7,049,650 (see Schedule V), and an valued at £8,476 17s. Id., and the number of trees raised since the commencement of the nursery is 40,768,955, and their value is £78,017 7s. 2d. The costs of the various operations during the year are as follows : Sizing, 2s. Id. per thousand ; lining out, 2s. 3d. per thousand ; lifting trees for plantations, 2s. 4d. per thousand. The average daily number of workmen employed during the year was 24-50. Details of expenditure and other tabulated information relating to the growing of trees are attached hereto. Following is a record of the rainfall and temperature : —

Schedule I.

Schedule 11. — Statement oj Expenditure. For Year. To Date. Tree-planting and maintenance- £ s. d. t s . d. Tree-growing .. .. .. .. 2,047 8 3 22.:! II 17 9 General maintenance and repairs .. 257 611 3,518 17 0 Tree-seeds .. .. .. 253 17 9 2,405 II 0 Manures .. .. .. .. 52 6 4 921 10 I Horse-iced, purchased and grown .. 228 12 5 1,585 2 6 Miscellaneous works .. .. .. 51 2 3 325 6 2 Stock and material —Tools, implements .. 135 17 I 1,018 13 10 Permanent works — Buildings .. .. .. .. 26 12 10 2,775 12 <> Nursery-formation . . .. .. 86 I 9 2.294 19 I I Fencing .. .. .. .. 6 4 6 221 12 8 Water-supply .. .. .. .. .. (560 18 10 Seed-frames .. .. .. .. .. 1.649 4 9 Supervision and clerical — Proportion of Superintending Nurseryman's salary .. .. .. 100 0 0 Proportion of Nurseryman's salary .. 197 10 01 Clerical assistance .. .. .. 50 0 01 2,63116 8 £3,493 0 1 £42,321 3 2

Month. Rainfall. Number of Days Rain fell. Temperature. Maximum. Minimum. Number of Days Frosts occurred. 1911. April May June July August September .. October November . . December .. In. 10-72 7-63 4-2r. L-2'J 3-21 •V8<> 4-21 6-54 6-55 17 12 12 7 10 12 14 20 Hi 78 40 70 28 62 24 61 22 63 21 68 22 69 24 76 30 78 35 3 10 15 17 10 7 3 1912. January February March 1-76 1-55 6-39 9 10 16 84 36 89 40 74 34 — Totals 59-90 59-90 155 155 66 65