C—l.

The following is the record of rainfall and temperature for the year:—

Record of Rainfall and Temperature at Whakarewarewa Nursery.

Starborough Nursery, Marlborough. (Established April, 1901.) An area of 104 acres was selected and reserved for nursery purposes some years ago when the estate was being surveyed for settlement. On the 4th April last a commencement was made by laving out the various compartments —seed-beds, lining-out ground, shelter plantations, hedges, roads, and horse-paddocks—as well as locating nursery buildings and nurseryman's cottage. The land is river-terrace formation, good, deep, friable loam, with open clay subsoil resting on' gravel, below which is papa rock. Many exotic trees throughout the district do well, considering the extremely meagre rainfall experienced and the frequency of high drying winds, usually from the north-west. From Blenheim (eighteen miles north), through the east coast of Canterbury and northern portion of Otago, the country is practically devoid of native bush, and it is with the object of providing future timber-supplies that this nursery has been established. During the past year freezing-point was only reached on four occasions—during May, June, July, and August; and the other extreme was recorded in February, with 94°. Eain fell on eighty days only, the heaviest falls occurring during July and December, with 4-87 in. and 4-58 in. respectively, while the total rainfall only measured 19-97 in. The following works have been carried out to date : Erection of 103 chains fencing, with necessary gates, &c, and repairing existing fences; clearing 54 acres flax, toitoi, and scrub; removing loose stones from nursery area; cutting 47 chains ditching from 3 ft. to 5 ft. deep; forming 72 chains of 18ft. roads; removing 1,500 cubic yards top soil from roads to fill up uneven portions of seed-beds ground ; trenching 1J acres land for seed-beds 18 in. deep ; making 200 seedprotecting frames 18ft. long by 3ft. wide; laying 3,967 ft. water-pipes, with standpipes, for watering seed-beds ; building concrete reservoir of 5,500-gallons capacity ; erecting outbuilding 48ft. long by 3ft. wide; erecting a 10ft. Star windmill on top of building for pumping water (from springs to reservoir) and cutting chaff; preparing land for seed-beds; sowing tree-seeds; planting 17,850 trees for shelter and ornamental purposes ; ploughing and cropping 27 acres oats for horse-feed ; ploughing and cultivating 30 acres lining-out area ; and building men's hut. The result of the first year's crop of seedling forest trees is highly satisfactory, all making good sturdy growth, with the exception of Pinus ponderosa, which germinated weakly. The number of trees raised is 626,800, details of which will be found under Schedule D herewith. Watering seedling trees was greatly facilitated by the high-pressure supply from concrete reservoir, situated at about 60 ft. above the nursery, to which height the water is raised by wind-mill-power. Chaff-cutting is done in the upper floor above the stable, the power for which is derived from windmill. This work can thus be done in comfort when it is impossible to work out-of-doors on account of the wind. Particulars of expenditures, values, &c, are appended.

9—C. 1.

65

Month. Number Rainfell. of Days Bain fall. Highest [leading o' Thermometer. Date. Lowest Reading of Ther- | mometer. Date. ! 1901. Inohes. 1-45 099 5-72 7-24 4-73 2-69 3-25 0-58 6-78 Degrees. 70 62 59 57 61 62 74 75 78 Degrees. 30 26 28 26 26 30 28 35 40 Vpril JL&y une uly August September )ctober November December 1902. 15 4 17 14 7 9 9 3 14 2nd 9th 8th 2nd 31st 27th 29th 28th 1st 11th and 22nd 26th 26th 17th and 22nd 5th 11th and 12th 8th 25th 7th, 18th, 23rd 'anuary February tlarch 2.06 307 5-61 10 5 8 89 88 80 21st 3rd 4th 40 38 37 25th 18th 19th Totals 4:4-17 115