C.—3

18

large number of 852,000 Pinus ponderosa seedlings, which appear to be the desired type of the valuable bull-pine. The germination of Cupressus' macrocarpa seed was unusually good. Some 120,000 plants of this variety were raised in anticipation of the continued solicitations from farmers for supplies of tin's shelter-tree. Growing of Eucalypti. —Realizing the importance of hardwood-growing, each South Island station is now persevering with the propagation of the hardier species in the hope of being able to harden ofi and plant out the gums in fair numbers on the areas now being worked. Hitherto repeated trials with even the hardj' Eucalyptus viminalis failed to produce satisfactory growing percentages. The initiation of the tray system two years ago, however, has simplified the question, although this method entails a good deal of extra labour. The number "pricked ofi" was quite insufficient to meet the requirements of farmers; but better provision will be made in view of a brisk demand for the trees next season. Pronounced success attended an experimental planting at Greenvale. An area of about an acre was ploughed and cultivated, and in October planted out in several species of eucalypts from trays. It will be interesting to discover their relative merits from a frost-resisting point of view, and compare their development- with that of similar trees allocated virgin tussock land. Extension of Plantations. Although the acreages of plantations have, not been increased to the extent anticipated, the season's work shows a decided advance on that of the preceding one. Some 2,095,450 trees were used in planting out a new area of 1,020J acres, in. addition to the utilization of a fair number of trees for-replanting purposes. In the absence of an accurate survey it is impossible to give perfectly reliable acreages of trees planted since initiation. The compilation of the table hereunder, however, has been made from past records, and, although its complete revision will be effected during the coming year, the statement submitted will nevertheless disclose somewhat effectively data relating to the planting systems followed, and averages of the various trees now under " pure " and " mixed " stands. Acreages of Trees planted in the South Island (Pure). Acres. Acres. Pinu.l Laricio .. .. . . 1 ,614 Fraxinus excelsior .. .. .. 27f „ ponderosa .. .. . • 771 ~ americana .. .. .. 3 „ Benthamiana .. .. . ■ Betula alba .. .. .. .. 66 „ radiata .. .. ■ ■ 1 , 177J- Populus (species) . . .. . . 39 „ austriaca ... .. .. 1,003| Safe (species) .. .. .. 7f pinaster .. .. .. 15 Alnus glutinosa .. . . . . 97| ~ muricata .. .. .. 46| Vagus sylvatica .. . . . . 2 ~ slrobus .. .. .. 3 Eucalyptus .. .. .. .. 26| „ rigida ... .. .. 1 Thuja plicata .. .. .. 14 \ „ contorta .. .. . ■ \ Cupressus macrocarpa .. .. 8 ~ halepensis .. .. .. | ~ Lawsoniana . . . . 2| „ Thunbergii .. .. ■ ■ 1 Sequoia gigantea . . .. . . 4| „ Tdeda ' .. .. ■ ■ 3 „ sempervirens .. .. | „ species (experimental) .. .. 2 Robinia pseudo-acacia .. .. 2 Larix europaea .. .. • • 2,585 Quercus pedunculata .. .. 1\ „ leptolepis .. .. .. 10f Acer pseudo-platanus ... .. 6 Picea excelsa .. .. • • 2221 Pyrus aucuparia .. .. .. 4 ~ sitchensis I .. ... • • 13-| Pseudo-tsuga taxifolda ■ ■ ■ ■ 74 Total .. .. 7,882| Acreages of Trees planted in the South Island (Mixed). (Does not include acreages at Dumgree, Tekapo, and Waitahuna Plantations, complete records of which have not yet been ascertained.) Acres. Acres. Pinus Laricio and P. ponderosa .. 1,250 Pinus ponderosa and Quercus pedunculata 1J and Pseudo-tsuga taxifolda 140| Pinus austriaca' 'and Quercus pedunculata 6 and P. Benthamiana .. 145 Larix europaea, Pseudo-tsuga laxij'olia, and Ljarix europaea .. 10 and fraxinus excelsior .. .. 9 Pinus ponderosa and P. austriaca .. 159J Pinus austriaca, Quercus pedunculata, and P. Benthamiana.. 42 Acer pseudo-platanus, and Fraxinus and Larix europaea .. 1.4 excelsior . . .. . . .. 1J Picea excelsa and Fraxinus excelsior .. 225 Pinus radiata and Picea excelsa . . 1 Acer pseudo-platanus and Quercus Pinus radiata, Quercus pedunculata, and pedunculata ' .. .. 88£ Acer pseudo-platanus ... . 4 J Picea excelsa and P. sitchensis .. 62 Picea excelsa and Fraxinus excelsior .. Ml Quercus pedunculata, Fraxinus excelsior, Pinus austriaca, Larix europaea, and and Acer pseudo-platanus .. .. 81 Betula alba .. .. .. 23 Pinus austriaca, P. Laricio, and P. ponderosa .. .. -. 121 To tal •• •• .. 2.227.J; Pinus Laricio and Quercus pedunculata f>l Acres. Areas planted " pure" .. .. .. •• 7,882$ Areas planted " mixed" .. .. .. 2,227 J. Total .. 10,109f