C—3

10

Tree and tree-seed disposals to farmers, settlers, local bodies, proprietary and co-operative companies, &c, from State nurseries are exposed as follows : —

Graph showing State Forest Service Sales of Trees and Seeds, Period 1920-25,

CHAPTER IV.—RESEARCH AND EXPERIMENTS. " The object of New Zealand's national forest policy is to perpetuate the production of forest products in quantities necessary to meet the requirements of the Dominion." The various forest investigations of the Service are being carried out in order that we may develop the technical processes by which this policy can be effected most efficiently and expeditiously. The following investigations were in progress during the year :— 1. FOREST MANAGEMENT. Silvical Research. Beech Forests. During the past year Dr. L. Cockayne, F.R.S., &c, Service honorary botanist, continued his investigation in the beech (Nothofagus) forests, and those grading into taxad rain forest, in the following localities : (1) Westland and north-west Nelson ; (2) Marlborough and north-west Nelson from the Sounds to Nelson City ; (3) the neighbourhood of Lake Wakatipu from Queenstown to the Dart Valley, ascending to 4,000 ft. on Mount Earnslaw ; (4) many areas in Southland, including a journey from Lake Manapouri to Doubtful Sound ; (5) the base of Ruapehu and the Waimarino Plain ; (6) the Mamaku Plateau and the Urewera country to 3,000 ft. on the Huirau Range. Dr. Cockayne, in an interim report, states : " I am persuaded more than ever that in the Nothofagus forests and the Nolhofagus-taxaud forests New Zealand possesses perhaps, so far as the indigenous forests go, her most valuable forest asset, since they will regenerate after milling in nearly all localities, while the growth of the trees is fairly rapid and the timber of great value for many purposes ; further, they generally occupy ground which cannot reasonably be demanded for agriculture." This study will be completed during the year 1924-25. The Taxad Rain Forests of Westland. Mr. C. E. Foweraker, M.A., F.L.S., Lecturer in Forestry, Canterbury University College, continued his investigations in the Wesdand taxad forests during the year. His work was confined mainly to the silver-pine area of South Westland, for these areas are more extensive than was formerly supposed, practically? pure stands existing in certain localities. The fact that the rimu is dying out where