C.—3.

Cantebbuby. New planting in this region was confined to some small areas at Balmoral comprising odd corners, patches of swamp, &c. Nursery work was continued on a small scale, and 362,900 P. radiata trees were lifted and planted out. Nursery stock available for future planting comprises 688,000 P. radiata and 185,000 C. macrocarpa. Local seed collection covering five species totalled 483 lb-., the greatest quantity being P. radiata. Silvicultural work included clearing, underscrabbing, pruning, and thinning—the latter operation being mainly confined to Hanmer. Firewood, poles, posts, &c., to a total value of £1,324 were extracted and sold from Hanmer State Forest, and 92 cords of firewood to a value of £86 were sold from Balmoral. During the year the major operation was the construction of new roads and the maintenance and improvement of old ones at Eyrewell and Balmoral for safe and rapid access in case of fire. Southland. Afforestation operations comprised mainly minor blanking and the planting with eucalypts of the ash group of an area of 8 acres at Beaumont. This station also accounted for over six hundred deer ofl planted areas. At Pebbly Hills 535 acres of trees were cleaned, and extensive road formation was pushed forward at all stations, particularly Conical Hills, Pebbly Hills, and Dusky. It is interesting to note that at the close of the year the erection of three dwellings and twentyeight one-man huts had been completed ; the building timber, exclusive of the joinery, was all P. radiata cut by the Service pilot mill at Tapanui. A planing-plant was erected here in January, 1939, and immediately commenced dressing timber for weatherboarding, lining, flooring, &c., turning out a quantity of 88,900 ft. board measure of dressed stock before the end of the financial year. The pilot mill commenced working at the end of July, 1938, and finished with a total output of 414,480 ft. board measure, subsequently being dismantled and shifted elsewhere. The nurseries this year carry 977,000 trees.

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