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WESTLAND FOREST CONSERVATION REGION. Experimental Station. The State-forestation activities in this region are at present confined to experimental plantings of; various exotic species on the cut-over forest lands near Hokitika and on the tailing-heaps at Rimu. During the year 368 acres were planted at the experiment station and 38 acres on the dredge tailings, giving a total of 406 acres for the region. The trees in the plantation made much better growth than during the previous year, due to brighter and drier weather during the summer months, The species planted at the Experimental Station were as follows : — „ . Area. Percentage Survival, S P 6t!ies - Acres. Per Cent. Pinus radiata .. .. .. .. .. 250 87 Pinus muricata .. .. .. .. .. 19*5 75 Eucalypts .. .. .. .. 4.5 29 Cupressus macrocarpa .. .. .. 25 26 Pinus canariensis .. . . .. .. . . 2 69 Cupressus Lawsoniana .. .. .. 15 87 Thuya plicata .. . . .. .. 10 91 Cryptomeria japonica .. .. .. .. 2 99 Sequoia sempervirens .. .. . . .. T5 98 Pinus caribaea ] Alnus glutinosa )■ .. .. .. .. 0-2 Acacia decurrens J Excellent results, as shown by the above percentages, were at first obtained, with the exception of 0. macrocarpa and eucalypts ; but later many trees died off through an attack of black-rot, probably due to excessive dampness of the soil. The cost of planting averages £2 9s. per thousand for all species. Nursery. The year, on the whole, was a good one for the nursery, being much drier than the previous one. Heavy rains just after seed-growing washed much of the seed out of the ground and.caused some to rot in the ground. From 298 Ib. of seed sown 605,460 seedlings were obtained. All trees in the nursery have made excellent growth during the year, but the cost of production is still high, due mainly to the weeding-costs. The tree stock amounts to 1,250,000 trees. Of these 645,000 are two- to three-year-old trees, most of which will be fit to transfer to the plantation during the 1927 planting season. Buildings. A three-roomed cottage, an implement-shed with office and storeroom attached, and a stable were erected during the year. A substantial bridge was also erected to give access to the nursery, and the formation of a good gravel road overcomes the previous difficulty of transport. Proposals for 1927-28. 1. Planting of 400 acres of new plantation and filling up the blanks on 200 acres. 2. Improving the drainage of the area by cleaning out the creeks filled with rubbish during previous sawmilling operations. 3. Continuing experimental work in the nursery and plantations, and developing improved methods. SOUTHLAND FOREST CONSERVATION REGION. As yet no State forestation project has been established in this region, owing to the difficulty of securing suitable land at a- reasonable price. Seed has been collected locally to enable experimental spot-sowing in cut-over and burnt State-forest areas during 1927. Ranger Nurseries. In order to provide small supplies of trees for planting in indigenous forests, a small nursery was established at the Tahakopa Ranger Station. The initial sowing gave satisfactory results. The nursery-work was carried out by the ranger in conjunction with the other work in this district. Proposals for 1927-28. 1. Planting of 100 acres of open land in the Longwood State Forest. 2. Experimental spot-sowing of exotic-tree seeds in cut-over indigenous forests. 3. Planting on State-forest areas of trees raised in Ranger nursery.