C.—3.

APPENDIX I. SUMMARIZED REPORTS ON STATE AFFORESTATION. Auckland Region. Tairua Plantation.—Although three dry periods were experienced with high fire hazards, the season as a whole was conducive to good tree-growth, and the plantation is developing satisfactorily. The new planting consisted of 206,460 trees on an aggregate area of 544 acres, the species used being P. palustris, P. radiata, P. pinaster, P. sondereggeri, P. canariensis, and 665 poplar cuttings. Eight pounds P. pinaster and 64 lb. P. radiata seed were collected. Interplanting with P. ponderosa, P. radiata, P. palustris, and P. taeda (248,000 trees in all) absorbed an area of 404 acres previously planted with unsuitable species, while 6 acres were blanked with E. gigantea and E. obliqua. In the nursery 462,300 trees were lifted and sent out to plantations, 68,000 were retained for future use, and 165 lb. of seed of seven different species were sown. Speaking generally, all trees are making good headway at this station, P. caribaea being particularly good. Riverhead. —The fire risk at this station was probably greater than at any other in the conservancy owing to the prevalence on the boundary of the plantation of danthonia, which flourishes in a dry season, and extreme vigilance was necessary throughout the dry summer months to prevent fires from encroaching on the trees. In one instance one fire lit by an adjoining land-owner without a permit was only extinguished with difficulty. Legal proceedings will be taken against the offender. This plantation is now practically planted up, but during the season 39 acres of stunted bush was interplanted with Thuja plicata and Cryptomeria japoniea. From selected trees in the neighbourhood 45 lb. P. pinaster and 6 lb. P. radiata seed were collected. The general appearance of the plantation gives an impression of vigour and vitality. Maramarua.—This plantation is on a maintenace basis, and, with the exception of some minor blanking, no planting was done. Pruning with slashers was carried out for some months ; 328 acres were treated by removing the branches to a height of 8 ft. Maintenance-work consisted of clearing firebreaks, roads, tracks, culverts, &c., shifting telephone-lines, and painting buildings. From the nursery 104,900 trees were lifted for planting at other stations and 8,600 trees were lined out. Ten pounds of P. radiata .were sown, and germination produced a remarkable crop of 12,000 seedlings. Waipoua.—The planting season was favourable and 201 acres were planted, mainly with P. palustris (96 acres) and P. taeda (91 acres). At present the newly planted trees are promising well, but when they are affected by the westerly saline winds so prevalent in this locality they may receive some set-back. The usual maintenance of buildings, roads, fire-breaks, &c., was kept well up to date. Puhipuhi.—The topographical and species survey mentioned in last year's report was completed. The pine stands have reached the stage when low pruning should be done, and this work will shortly be put in hand. Operations during the year consisted of maintenance of fences and fire-breaks and control of noxious weeds. Rotorua Region. Kaingaroa Plantation. —The existing area was increased by 42 acres, on which were planted approximately 31,400 P. murrayana. The area was made up of odd corners, strips along firebreaks, &c. In the nursery at Wairapukao a total sowing of 644 lb. of P. ponderosa, P. larioio, P. murrayana, and P. radiata seed was made during the months of November and February. The earlier sowing germinated well, particularly P. larioio and P. ponderosa, but P. murrayana was again disappointing. Germination of the late-sown P. radiata was just commencing at the date of preparing this report. From 14th May to 12th July blanking was carried out over a total area of 5,284 acres, and 2,398,000 trees, principally P. murrayana and P. ponderosa, were planted to replace ones which had died. Rotoehu Plantation. —Operations commenced at this new station on Ist June last, and planting began towards the end of July and continued until 237 acres were planted, mainly with P. radiata and 16 acres of Sequoia sempervirens, 12,000 trees per acre being used of the first-mentioned species and 300 trees per acre of the latter ; the spacing of P. radiata was 6 ft. and that of redwood 12 ft., interplanted with poplar cuttings similarly spaced. Three poplar species and 767 cuttings were used. An inspection of the planted area in March showed that the P. radiata had struck well, but the strike of the other species was only fair. In the nursery 189 lb. of seed of a variety of species were sown which produced 179,000 young trees. Whakarewarewa Plantation. —Twelve acres were underplanted with C. macrocarpa, and although special care was taken with this difficult species a mortality of 40 per cent, occurred. Present tree stocks in all nurseries are estimated to total 9,405,000 of which 5,500,000 will be carried .over until next season, 2,490,000 will be available for local use, 955,000 for transfer to other regions, and the remainder for use by other Government Departments. The seed collected and extracted to date totals 800 lb., but 300 sacks of P. murrayana cones remain to be treated.

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