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nearly every province in the North and South Islands. There is a balance of 50,000 trees si ill on hand, and these are to be distributed on the same terms as those sent out last year, and there should be no difficulty in getting rid of them, as settlers are inquiring already this season, which would indicate that the trees sent out last year were a success. Instructions have been issued to cease operations here at the end of Septeml>er of the present year, the reason being that the trees are not succeeding in the plantation at Puhipuhi. As it is probable that the nursery grounds will be leased, all the land at present under cultivation will te laid down in permanent grass. The ground is now being prepared for this, and by the end of April it is hoped to have 22 acres sown. Horse-feed to the value of .£l2O was grown. Average number of workmen employed, 577. Details of expenditure and values are appended. The total number of trees raised at this nursery since May, 1903, is 2,667,868, valued at £5,188 13s. 9d. The following is a record of the rainfall and temperature for the year: —

Schedule 1. —One-year-old Trees, grown at Ruatangata Nursery, 1909-10. (Seventh Crop.)

Month. Rainfall. Number of Days with Rain. Maximum Temperature. Date. Minimum Temperature. Date. 1909. Inches. 2-26 5-75 3-37 8-25 6 14 20 23 Degrees. 72 66 65 63 Degrees. 33 32 31 33 April May ... June ... July ... August September October November December 1910. 10-77 7-09 5-57 4-36 1-96 20 21 10 8 9 61 65 72 75 83 4th 6th and 23rd 12th and 13th 19th 25th 26th 31st 17th 16th and 30th 30 31 38 42 45 25th 15th 30th 7th, 12th, and 25th 10th 10th 24th 7th 31st January February March 4-26 615 5-75 16 14 20 83 78 78 26th 14th 11th 49 48 46 2nd 3rd 19th, 20th, and 26th Totals... 65-54 181

Name. Number Height in in Seed-beds. Inches. Seed sown. Value per Total Value. Thousand. Kemarks. Eucalyptus Stuartiana Lb. 350,000 4 9 £ a. d. j £ a. d. 0 10 0 175 0 0 Fine sturdy plants and very even crop. Schedule 2.—Trees tn .nsferred from Ruatangata N (Sixth Crop ursery to Puhipuhi Plantation, &c, 1909. •) Name. I Number. Value per Thousand. Total Value. Remarks. Mossed — Eucalyptus resinifera Stuartiana „ rostrata , amygdalina Unmossed — Eucalyptus resinifera Stuartiana rostrata Sequoia sempervirens Juniperus virginiana | 32,750 29,500 ■ 106,200 12,600 £ s. d. 1 10 0 1 10 0 1 10 0 1 10 0 £ s. d. 49 2 6 44 5 0 159 6 0 18 18 0 Doing very well. Doing exceedingly well. Very poor growth. 17,500 22,875 90,200 11,650 2,050 1 10 0 1 10 0 1 10 0 6 0 0 3 0 0 8 15 0 11 8 9 45 2 0 69 18 0 6 3 0 Doing very well. Equal to mossed. Doing very poorly. Making fair growth. Podocarpus Totara 325,325 50,262 375,587 4 5 0 412 18 3 213 12 3 Distributed to farmers. 10 tons oaten chaff valued at £5 per ton 50 0 0 Sent to Rotorua. 676 10 6