C. —Iβ

50

Trees transferred from Nursery to Plantation, &c, 1912-13.

W. Gγ. Morrison, Nurseryman in Charge.

Hanmer Springs Plantation, Canterbury. (Area, 3,668 acres; altitude, 1,225 ft. ; commenced operations, 1901.) Operations have again been conducted under extremely adverse conditions, chiefly climatic. The winter was a phenomenally severe one, and unprecedented in this district. For seven weeks during the months of July and August work on the ground was completely suspended, free labour only being employed at pruning, the greater part of the larch areas on both Nos. I and II plantations being gone over in this respect. Whilst the snow was deep hare drives were organized, no less than eighty hares being destroyed in two da}'s. The early part of the spring was very moist; but the summer, on the other hand, was a very dry one, and to this may be attributed the rather heavy death-rate among newly planted trees. The deaths are most numerous among pines which were planted in dry gravelly situations devoid of any growth to prevent evaporation. Pinus Laricio is the chief sufferer, the deaths in this species amounting to about 30 per cent. Larch have also suffered somewhat, but not so badly as Corsican pine, the loss being about 12 per cent. Among Pinun ponderosa the death-rate could be put down at about 9 per cent. Spring frosts did some damage to the leaders of larch just as the growth was starting, but they soon recovered. A form of needle-cast made its appearance among this species early in the season, caused no doubt by dry weather-conditions following so soon after a very wet winter and spring. The lower branches of the trees only were affected, the leaders being untouched; the defoliation being more marked on trees growing on the flat country than among those on the sidelings; in fact, on the greater part of the sidelings there was no sign of the needle-cast. The trees appeared to shake off the disease towards the end of summer, and took on to some extent their usual healthy appearance. With this one exception all varieties of trees present a flourishing appearance, and the average growth compares well with that of other seasons. Pinus Laricio has again demonstrated itself as well adapted for this locality, the average annual growth being from 10 in. to 20 in. Pinus ponderosa has also thrived well, and in one instance where it was mixed with P. austriaca about eight years ago it is now fully 7 ft. above the latter. The Oregon pine, which in previous years has been rather slow in growing, has asserted itself this season, and has put on a vertical growth of from 6 in. to 20 in.; it is evidently responding to the shelter afforded by the Corsican pine, with which it is mixed. Larch has not made the rapid growth of previous years, the dry season no doubt accounting for this. Picea pitch ends is still very slow in starting, but it is possible that it will go ahead when its admixture, Pinus ponderosa, gives it shelter. Alder has made its usual rapid growth; but spruce has made but little headway. Operations were, as usual, carried on b;v a combination of free and prison labour, the larger portion being done by the latter, some difficulty being experienced in obtaining suitable free labour. Tree-planting was commenced on the 3rd May, and was completed on the 9th October. A total of 717,240 trees were planted, including 5,000 willow-cuttings; of this number, 664,415

Where sent. Name of Tree. *»- iSetJ » Total Value, j Remarks. Larix europaea Pinus Laricio .. Hanmer Springsl „ ponderosa Plantation | „ radiata .. „ muricata j Alnus glutinosa £ 434,000 208,740 49,000 6,575 1,025 12,900 18 10 10 12 10 6 £ s. d. 2 5 0 3 0 0 3 0 0 2 5 0 2 5 0 0 15 0 £ s. d. 976 10 0 626 4 4 147 0 0 14 15 10 2 6 1 9 13 6 > Sturdy plants. J 712,240 1,776 9 9 ,, , „, • f Pinus Laricio .. Selwyn Plantation I ponder osa Board \ „ radiata .. 17,000 9,000 650 10 10 12 3 0 0 3 0 0 2 5 0 51 0 0 27 0 0 1 9 3 26,650 " 79 9 3 {Larix europaea Pinus Laricio .. ,, ponderosa Pseudo-tsuga taxifolia i 1,000 500 200 500 I 18 10 10 12 2 5 0 3 0 0 3 0 0 2 10 0 2 5 0 1 10 0 0 12 0 1 5 0 2,200 5 12 0 Hanmer Springs Plan As per details above tation Selwyn Plantation „ Board O m a t a D o m a i n Board I I 712,240 26,650 1,776 9 9 79 9 3 2,200 5 12 0 Totals .. ... 741,090 1,861 11 0