FRUITGROWERS.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20731, 16 December 1932, Page 15

FRUITGROWERS.

CANTERBURY ASSOCIATION. The monthly meeting of the Canterbury Fruitgrowers' Association was held last evening. Mr E. Freeman presided. A lecture on the result of experiments carried out during the past soason was given by Mr R. Sutherland, eool storage officer, Department of Agriculture, Wellington. He dealt with the experiments and their results on fruit in its picking, handling, and carriage overseas, giving particular attention to the elimination of wastage from various causes. Percentage tables indicated that packing rather than rough handling in transport was the more potent factor in bruising. He also gave details of a maturity experiment carried out with apples exported. The effect that maturity picking had on various causes of damage on exported fruit was becoming increasingly evident, and the need for investigation was apparent. In answer to a question by Mr F. W. Sisson, Mr Sutherland said he was convinced that the lidding of the apple cases was the cause of the packing trouble. A vote of thanks to Mr Sutherland was passed. Mr E. A. Stead, on behalf of the Fireblight Committee, reported that the committee was again short of funds and asked for a further loan of £lO. The committee, he said, was working for the good of the-Fruitgrowers' Association and the loans which the Association might grant would bo paid back. It was decided to grant the loan. It was reported that the proßpecta for Loburn fruit-growors for 1933 were exceptionally bright. The crops were very big and there would be a largo quantity available for export. Reference was also made to the success of a number of fruit-grading and pressing experiments being carried out by a Loburn resident. Mr Osley, ;jun. A motion of thanks to Mr and Mrs Oxley and their son for tho hospitality they had extended to members of the Association's committee who had visited Loburn was carried.