19

C— IB

Schedule 111. — Trees Account. Number. Trees received during year . . . . . . . . .. 1,469,695 Less to replace blanks .. .. .. . . .. 890,635 Planted on new area .. :. .. .. .. .. 579,060 Previously planted .. .. .. .. .. ..17,675,129 Total number planted on 6,960 acres (average age, six years). . .. 18,254,189 Schedule IV. — Property Account. £ s. [d. Land (7,777 acres) Crown land, not charged to Forestry Account Buildings .. .. .. .. .. 967 19 1 Improvements .. .. . . .. . . .. 930 9 6 Fencing .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,142 15 2 Stores in hand .. .. .. .. .. .. 785 15 3 £3,826 19 0 Balance-sheet. £ s. d. Total expenditure .. .. .. .. .. .. 40,985 19 0 Less Property Account .. .. .. .. 3,826 19 0 Cost of operations .. .. .. .. .. .. £37,159 0 0 6,960 acres planted (average age, six years). Estimated value of plantation per acre .. .. .. 9 5 0 Summary of Trees planted. Number on plantation at present day— Number. Contents of various blocks .. .. .. .. .. 18,197,748 On fire-breaks .. .. .. .. .. .. 11,367 Ornamental and shelter trees at prison camps, &c. . . . . 43,586 Experimental trees .. . . .. .. .. . . 1,488 Total trees now living .. .. .. .. 18,254,189 Number used to replace failures, &c.— Leguminous plants used as bait for rabbits and hares .. .. 1,425 Ornamental trees destroyed by rabbits and hares . . . . 16,000 Experimental trees not suited to district .. .. .. 757,214 Used to replace failures .. .. .. .. .. 3,127,403 22,156,231 Less trees raised from seed sown in situ .. .. .. .. 83,121 Trees received from nursery .. .. .. .. .. 22,073,110 Summary showing Area of Waiotapu Plantation (6,960-43 Acres in Trees). Larch .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 3,176-69 Pines .. .. .. ■..•■.. .. .. .. 3,591-29 Eucalypti .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 180-50 Birch .. .... .. 11-95 Roads, tracks, and fire-breaks ... .. .. .. .. 312-30 Lands unsuitable for planting, including swamps, creeks, horse-paddocks, and residence reserves .. .. .. .. .. 260-25 Unplanted land .. .. .. .. . . .. .. 244-32 7,777-30

Kaingaroa Plains Plantation. (Area, 33,355 acres; altitude (approximate), 1,800 ft.) The afforestation-work at this station has been done entirely by prison labour, with very satisfactory results, and it is regrettable that, instead of increasing, the number of prisoners sent to this station has decreased. During the year the average number of men employed daily was 12-36, and the value of the work performed was £1,113 55., or an average of about £90 Is. 4d. per man. Last year the average daily number of prisoners employed was 15-20, while an average taken for the period from 1900 to the present date gives .28-98. An area of 600 acres was planted with Corsican pine, 1,609,750 trees being used. Previous plantings were chiefly in the nature of shelter-belts to protect the camp and stock paddocks, and accounted for 8,650 trees, mostly Monterey pine, so that to date 1,618,400 trees have been planted at this station.