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number of redwood were planted in sheltered position on the shores of Lake Rotdkakahi, where they have made better progress than any of the former plantings of this species. A small quantity of Oregon pine was also planted rather late in the season, the number of deaths being above the average. Throughout the plantation the trees have made vigorous growth, many of the larch planted four years ago having gained as much as 6ft. in height; and the spruce also, which for two years were almost at a standstill, have coins on very well, and give promise of ultimately becoming a line crap. Preparations are now well in hand for the coming season, when fully two million trees will probably be planted out. Statement of Expenditure. £ s d Amount at the 31st March, 1909 ... ... ... ...18,150 0 6 Pitting ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 812 11 11 Tree-planting ... ... ... ... ... ... 563 17 2 Clearing ... ... ... ... ... ... 1,314 18 10 Cartage of trees ... ... ... ... ... ... 28 4 0 General upkeep of plantation ... ... ... ... 731 8 1 „ repairs ... ... ... ... ... ... 479 Horse-feed purchased and grown ... ... ... ... 93 4 10 Fencing ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 36 9 6 Buildings— Cottage for foreman .... ... ... ... ... 65 16 8 New prison camp ... ... ... ... ... 540 15 6 Tools, implements, &c. ... ... ... ... ... 58 16 8 Miscellaneous works ... ... ... ... ... 12 2 0 Formation ... ... ... ... ... ... 74 8 6 Salaries—• Supervision of prison labour ... ... ... ... 145 0 0 free labour ... ... ... ... 160 0 0 Nurseryman's proportion of ... ... ... ... 35 0 0 Proportion of clerk and accountant's salary ... ... 44 0 0 £22,871 1 11 D. J. Buchanan, Plantation Foreman.

Ruatangata Nursery (near Wiiangarei). (Area, 65 acres; altitude, 320 ft.) Rain fell on 181 days during the year, with a total fall of 65'54in., the maximum monthly fall being in August, when 10"77 in. feU on twenty days. The highest shade temperature registered was 83°, on the 16th and 30th December and 26th January, and the lowest 30°, on the 10th August. There were seven frosts recorded, the maximum being 2° on the 10th August. ■ Taking the year right through, the weather has been favourable for all kinds of work at this station, with the exception of harvesting the crop. This was unfortunate in getting several days rain on it immediately after being cut. The only noteworthy incidents with regard to the weather for the past year are that on the 30th March the barometer fell from 2954 to 2838 in less than thirty hours, which is a record for the last seven years; and the number of days on which rain was recorded coincides exactly with that of the previous year, the rainfall being about 6 in. more. Owing to the failures amongst Podocarpus Totara in the plantation it was decided to discontinue growing this tree; consequently there was no lining-out done in the nursery during the season. 70,000 eucalypti were lined-in during the winter months, at a cost of 2s. 1 Jd. pelthousand. By lining the eucalypti in closely, and keeping them in check by constant root-cutting with the spade until they have made good fibrous roots, the costly method of mossing each tree separately is done away with, and the results in the plantation of trees planted unmossed are equally as good as those that were mossed, therefore there will be no trees mossed during the coming season. 199,000 eucalypti were mossed, at a cost of 13s. 3fd. per thousand. These comprised the following species: E. resinifera, E. rostrata, E. Stu/n-fin/ia, and E. amygdalina. The sowing of eucalypti seed was commenced on the sth November, and continued at intervals, when the weather was favourable, until the 15th December; 9 lb. of E. Stuartiana seed was sown, resulting in a splendid crop of 350,000 seedlings, valued at £175. Trees to the number of 325,325 were sent out to the plantation during the season, valued at £412 18s. 3d. (particulars in Schedule 1 attached). The approximate number of trees available for transferring to Puhipuhi Plantation during the coming season is 350,000. The total number of trees transferred to Puhipuhi Plantation since the inception of this nursery is 1,813,570, valued at 1:1,132 9s. Id. One of the houses erected for the accommodation of the men was papered and painted, &c, and is now used as a nurseryman's cottage. When the Department decided to discontinue planting Podocarpus Totara in the plantation at Puhipuhi there were over 100,000 trees in stock, and it was recommended and approved that these lie distributed free amongst settlers who were willing to plant them, the applicants to pay the cost of carriage to destination. 50,262 trees were distributed in this way, being sent into