APPUE AND PEAR CONFERENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 267, 10 November 1934, Page 6 (Supplement)

APPUE AND PEAR CONFERENCE.

The Royal Horticultural Society is organising a conference on apples and pears on the occasion of the great autumn exhibition of fruit to be held at the Crystal Palace, London, from September 19 to 22. The programme will include lectures by experts on all phases of fruit cultivation. Of outstanding interest will be a wonderful display of all known varieties of apples that are grown privately locally and commerciallyin the country. This will probably be the most ambitious display that has ever been staged, and already nearly 700 varieties of apples have been collected for exhibition. A good number will be known sorts that have developed characteristics in different soils; others will simply be varieties appearing under more than one name. Most of the apple-growing districts of England have a largo number of local varieties that are unheard of out of that particular district, and yet are particularly useful in that district. Amongst the older sorts are a class of apples that have never been grown commercially, but were the mainstay of the apple orchards of Kngliuid before budding, grafting and suitable stocks were considered. These apples are not large, usually about 2iin in diameter, often very highly coloured, but would keep under ordinary cottage conditions right through the winter. This race are known as Mother, Knot, or Burr apples, and strike from Burr and Knots that are produced freely on the branches and stems. Large branches even up to Oft in length can be cut off, planted, and in a short time arc bearing trees, for such was the method by which the apple orchard was planted at one time, and to-day many of these old trees still stand and give Inrgc crops. One of the only varieties with this characteristic is the Summer Golden Pcarmain, or, as it is often known, Biirrknott. This, however, is quite a modern introduction which has developed this character, once so prominent and essential in those far-off days. Of course, a large number of these old sorts are useless, but nevertheless there may be some old tree producing a fruit that is worth propagating. However, it will be an interesting display to those fortunate enough to visit it, and may be productive of something valuable to fruitgrowing.