11

C—3

Forest-extension. Timber-growing has now become an important branch, of agriculture in New Zealand, for now that timber-growing pays farmers and settlers are taking a much wider interest in it, and the Forest Service through its forest-extension officers and such educational channels as are open to it has overlooked no opportunity of impressing the facts on the agricultural community —with what results, reference need only be made to the graph of tree and seed sales from the State forest-tree nurseries at Rotorua, Hanmer Springs, Ranfurly, and Tapanui.

Graph showing Increase in State Forest Service Sales of Trees and Tree seeds, Period 1919-24.

Tree-plant an d Tree-seed Disposals to Farmers, Settlers, Local Bodies, etc., from State Nurseries, 1919 to 1923.

It is evident that the Forest Service is becoming of real value to the country in so far at least as afforestation and tree-planting is concerned, as numerous requests are being continually received from societies, clubs, unions, Chambers of Commerce, and other bodies for lectures, literature, and information on tree-growing. During the year some sixteen thousand pamphlets, circulars, letters of advice, and instructions were requested and distributed, and hundreds of people attended lectures by departmental officers bearing on practical forestry methods and results. The efforts of the Service are appreciated, judging by the many complimentary letters and by the greatly increased demand on the organization for tree-seeds, information, assistance, and advice. City and Borough Councils, County Councils, and other local-body tree-planting operations have been definitely increased during the year ; quickened public interest and realization of the value and profitableness of tree plantations is responsible for the following results : the City of Auckland planted 125,000 trees; Christchurch, 250 acres; Dunedin, 250 acres; whilst the Selwyn Plantation Board established 440 acres, the Ashburton County 100 acres, and the MacKenzie County 50 acres. Other local bodies which carried out projects were Hamilton, Waimca County, Springs County, &c. It is estimated that 2,000 acres were formed by local-body effort. Several proprietary companies established for the sole purposes of growing and harvesting trees and operating timber-farms carried out planting operations in the North Auckland Province, on pumice plains, and in Nelson and Canterbury. It is estimated that 2,000 acres were established by this means. Individual effort on the part of farmers, settlers, fruitgrowers, and freezing, coal, and dairy enterprises and others was responsible for the creation of 3,000 acres of tree-plantation during the year. In review, the number of trees raised and disposed of by the Forest Service, commercial nurserymen, and others to tree-planters and planted in New Zealand for the year was at least five million, planted on 12,800 acres. At this rate the proportionate responsibilities for the provision of future needs is certainly assured.

.919 .920 .921 922 923 Year. Trees for Planting. 420,412 277,235 520,702 897,552 1,475,581 Forest-tree Seeds. .___ 132 130 240 43(5 746