C.—3

30

Details of Three-year-old Trees, sown 1914-15.

Trees transferred from, Nursery to Plantations, &c, 1916-17.

Hanmer, Springs Plantation, Canterbury. (Area, 3,668 acres; altitude, 1,225 ft.; commenced operations, 1901.) (W. G. Morrison, Nurseryman in Charge.) Owing to the transfer of operations to the newly acquired area at Hurunui and the completion of tree-planting on all but a small area at this station there is little to report on for the past year. The pitting of the small area adjoining Jollies Pass was completed during April, the fencing being then taken in hand and the tree-planting completed immediately the fence was erected. The trees have since done fairly well, though the dry weather experienced during the summer months somewhat retarded growth. The area burned out during the previous yearwas planted up with seedling Pinus radiata, but owing to the dry weather these proved a failure, and it is proposed to replant with two-year-old trees during the coining season. Trees to the number of 110,773 were planted on an area of 91J acres, making a total of 3,032| acres now under forest, containing 7,737,184 trees. A total of 9,020 trees were used to replace failures in former plantings. The usual uniform growth has taken place among all varieties of established trees, and the various blocks are now looking remarkably well in spite of the continued dry weather. Though one or two late frosts were experienced, no damage was done to any of the more tender varieties of trees. Throughout the greater part of the year the staff was engaged almost exclusively on work in connection with the general upkeep and maintenance of plantations, the more important duties receiving attention being as follows: Grubbing out noxious weeds; clearing foreign growth from around young trees; repairing fences, tools, &c.; destroying hares and rabbits; ploughing and chipping fire-breaks.

Name of Tree. Number in Nursery-linen. Remarks. 'inus austriaca.. „ ponderosa .. .... „ Benthamiana ,, pinaster .. „ muricata . . 'seudo-tsuga taxifolia 300,000 158,000 3,000 4,000 8,000 18,000 Fine trees. Sturdy trees. Fine trees. Total .. 491,000

Where sent. Name of Tree. Number. Hanmer Springs Plantation Pinus radiata.. ,, Laricio ,, ponderosa „ muricata „ Taeda .. Thuja gigantea Sequoia gigantea 106,423 5,250 2,350 6,520 1,900 1,400 1,200 Balmoral Plantation 125,043 Pinus austriaca ,, ponderosa ,, muricata ,, scopuloru'm, ,, Benthamiana 171,000 41,130 2,600 6,875 1,000 222,605 Tekapo Plantation ,, austriaca ,, muricata 13,000 1,200 Justice Department, Paparua Farmers Assorted forest-trees 14,200 2,264 11,450 >> Total . . 375,562