Horticultural honour

Press, 21 May 1982, Page 8

Horticultural honour

The Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture has made the award of Associate of Honour to Dr Donald W. McKenzie, of Havelock North. The secretary of the institute, Mr R. A. Foubister, of Christchurch, said that the award to Dr McKenzie was the highest honour to be bestowed by the institute and is only given to persons who have made an outstanding contribution to horticulture in New Zealand. Dr McKenzie works at the D.S.I.R. Havelock North research orchard, specialising in apples. The citation for the award says Dr McKenzie has made major contributions to New Zealand fruit growing and established an international reputation for New Zealand and himself. “He was primarily responsible for the introduction and development of more intensive apple tree planting systems, based on radical changes in pruning and training procedures. "The value of these developments to the New Zealand fruit industry has been considerable as they increase orchard yield threefold. “He has also made a major contribution in the continuing work to .improve apple cultivars for New Zealand growing conditions. This has meant making extensive international contacts and importation and evaluation of close to two thousand new apple types, a task calling for vast patience, persistence and careful cataloguing. “The introduction of wellknown commercial cultivars such as Gala, Royal Gala, Splendour, Spartan and Braeburn resulted from these valuations,” the citation said.