15

a—3

Following is a record of rainfall and temperature for the year : —

Rainfall, Temperature, &c.

Summary showing the Area, of Waiotapii Plantation (7,7OJyJfS Acres in Trees). How occupied. Acres. Well ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 8,81085 Pines ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 4,201*18 Eucalypti ... ... ... ... 180-50 Birch ... ... ... 11-95 Roads, tracks, and fire-breaks ... ... ... ... 551-08 Unplanted land ... ... ... 2,073-80 Land unsuitable for planting, including swamps, creeks, also reserve for horse-paddocks and residences ... ... ... 288*05 Total ... ..." ... ... "... 10,617-!)' i

Kainoakoa Plains Plantation. (Area, 3.'!,355 acres; altitude, 1,800 ft., approximately.) During the year an area of 1,083 acres was planted, thus making a total area in trees of 4,922 acres. The results amongst the trees planted were on the whole good, the greatest number of failures being amongst the Pimm radiata. About 5,000 trees were planted experimentally. The principal trees amongst these were three selected types of /'. radiata, which were planted late in the season and suffered from dry weather immediately after they were planted. Of 600 Eucalypti is gigantea planted, about one-third failed. This species gives promise of being suitable for this locality. E. Macarthuri and E. viminalis have also succeeded, but the best results have been obtained with plants raised from seed in the temporary nursery here. E. obliqua and /<!. regnans failed, both being very tender in the seedling stage. The growth made by the trees in the older parts of the plantation has been very good, and in this respect the Douglas fir and Pinus ponderoSa are particularly noticeable. A surveyor and party have been engaged for some months in subdividing and classifying the northern part of the plantation reserve. The work in this direction is nearly completed, and a start will shortly be made on the southern end of the reserve. It is expected that there will be approximately 14,000 acres demarcated for forest purposes and about the same area set aside for grazing-country. Proposals for Next Tear. —Preparations for planting about 1,000 acres are now well in hand. Planting will be done chiefly with Pinus Laricio and Pinus radiata. The average daily number employed during the year was —Free labour, 425- prison labour, 2807.

Month. Rainfall. Number of Days Rain fell. Temperature. Maximum. Minimum. i Number of Days Frosts occurred. 1917. \pril May June July August September . . October November .. December .. In. 4-88 4-94 6-90 5-61 4-06 5-00 3-20 4-02 2-62 19 21 13 -2 19 18 16 6 12 Deg. V. 73 70 61 60 60 70 70 75 80 Deg. E. 25 20 1.5 17 21 24 21 27 27 8 12 15 13 14 8 9 6 6 1918. January February March 3-57 5-23 3-58 13 12 13 85 83 77 39 35 27 6 Totals 53-61 184 97