FRUIT PROBLEMS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 656, 5 November 1909, Page 3

FRUIT PROBLEMS.

4 • ORCHARDISTS/IN CONFERENCE. FEDERATION TO BE FORMED. UNIFORM CASES. The conference'of New Zealand fruitgrowers was rammed yesterday morning at tho Dominion jifuspum. In addition to the delegates already mentioned, Mr. J. Bennetts, of Teviot, attended. Mr. V. -Sisson (Canterbury) presided.' , ;A committee which hod been appointed to go into tlio question of a uniform case iov fniit brought up a verbal report, dealing only with apple and pear cases. Two forms of caso wero recommeuded:—(l) A bushel case, noasiiring msido 18 inches by 8 7-8 by 14, and having a rapacity of 2237 cubic inches,-with no -livisiou. ' (2) A lonp case 25$ inches by Gi by 13, .inside ' measurement, with a capacity of! 2201 cubic inches, and having a It was explained that thorp was no intention of assigning one form of caso to tho export trade and the other to the local market. Fruitgrowers wero to have their choice between the two forms of, case. The chaiunan having moved the adoption of the report, Mr. W. Lightband (Brigutwater) moved, and Mr. C. H. Mackay (Moutcre) seconded, the adoption of tho "dump" caso (No. 1), exclusively, the mover painting out that it was used successfully by all Tasmamaii and Australian • growers. Tho question being raised as to -when the proposed ~-uniformity would come into force, Mr. Kirk (Director of Orchards) said legislation would be necessary, and therefore the new oases could not be compulsory before next year. Apropos of the merits nf tile two cases, Sir. Kirk said that his Department had sent Home a consignment of apples in cases similar to No. I,' and had sent them to one exhibition after another in tho same cases, obtaining high awards in each instance. Tho amendment was carried, tho conference thus adopting No. 1 caso (the diimp, or Australian caso), to the exclusion of all others, for apples and pears. No decision was arrivsd at in Regard to tho size of cases for other fruits. Against Infection. Tho 'transmission of fruit diseases through the use of second-hand cases and bags uas discussed at somo length. It was resolved that all. fruit sold in public markets must be packed in now cases, and that no recoptacles for fruit must. bo .'returned to growers by factories without being first cleansed. Mr. Kirk mentioned that legislation would not be necessary for such purposes as tho 'object could bo.effected.by regulations under the Orchard and Garden Diseases Act., j " Pure Chemicals. It was stated that fruit-growers are frequently somewhat in the dark as to the ingredients of the chemical manures used by iem, and some delegates complained that they did not know what they wero getting, And had to go upon guesswork. A Nelson grower said that some benefit had been derived in his district from lectures given by an export of the Education .Department. Mr. T. -W. Kirk (Director of tho Orchards Division), said.no doubt some of tho formulao used were not generally understood. Perhaps the Minister could be impressed"'with tho necessity of translating some of the Latin terms, though it might not bo practicable to deal with thorn all in the manner suggested. ' It was urged by some delegates that sellers should give a guarantee of the purity of sulphate of copper (bluestono). Ono delegate thought legislation was required to bind tho seller. Mr. B. C. Aston (Chemist to tho Agriculural Departmont) pointed out that it would be inadvisable to use the torm "potash" instead of "di-potassic oxide" in the Fertilisers Act,-because "potash" might mean any one of several different compounds. Similarly, phosphate," meant-a dozen different things icsides phosphoric anhydride.' These ambiguiies would open a door to'unscrupulous praeices on the part of dealors, and would thus )o detrimental, to the fruit-growing 'industry Uo would bo'glad to send luller information on the subject of manures and chemicals tc any applicant. /l It-was resolved'that'sellers Bhould-bo re quired to.givo a guaranteo of tho parity of sulphate of copper, and- that mann/o analyses should bo mado moro lucid to tho grower or myer. / 1 Mr. W. H. Smith (Hawke's Bay) said thai growers in his district -had had great diffi culty in obtaining a reliable arsenate of lead of which they used largo quantities. Tho onlj one they had found trustworthy was expensive bootl preparations'of this chemical wero pui up in Australia, an'd tho Hawke's Bay gfowen houglit that chemists in the Dominion shoulc Iβ able to make n puro arsenate of lead-undoi government guarantee,' and sell it at a. rca sonable price. Mr. Aston-said he thought this conld bi <ione,after proper research. i r ; ?•. Cockayne (Biologist to the Or cnards -Division) gave particular of different preparations.of .(ireenate of lead, and suggested that the ono that had been mentioned ant other reliable American brands should bi used'in preference to seeking to get it mann factured in tho Dominion. ■* Mr " t W j-« A " - Bollc lMsr (pomologist) said tha several different preparations of areenato o lead would be tested this season. No motion was passed. The Panania Canal. The Stoke Association desired informatioi I,™? u 'DoPjrtmcnt of Agrieulturo as to th. irobable effect of the opening of the Panami (/anal on the industry, in regard to freight and markets, and tho best varieties of frui to plant. ' Mr. T. W. Eirk (Director of Orchards Divi Slon) said inqnines were being made, and in ormation would bo available in ample time as to the varieties suitable fo export to Jinsland, Ilambufg and India, am he prices obtainable could bo circulated with in a few weeks. , Distribution. ' -A l ' , ' J j ??" (N " ort:ller n Fruitgrowers' Coun ci!) urged the necessity of organisation for th (otter knowledge'of -probable output and die ribution of frnit throughout the Dominion Ho expressed the view that better prices al round for fruit could bo obtained if grower had .such 'knowledge. ioo Y f r- t Kh \ s ? id - !i he Department started i 831 to collect information as .to the crop trom the difforent associations, compilo it, an disseminate it Somo associations, ho'wovei neglected to fiU in tho forms sent them an others replied that they did ,not consider i would be in the interests of their member* i ho system was, therefore, dropped as bein m advance of the tunes. ■ Mr. Boucher said ho thought somethin more wonld be required. At present the Audi and growers did not know what tho Car torbury growers wero doing, and tho Nelso men wore ignorant, of the itato of the market in Hawkes Bay, and fruit was, therefon shipped indiscriminately .to. different market! I here should bo central agencies in Aucklnnt Wellington, Christen nrch, and Dunedin whic wo,uld keop in touch with all the markets an i i • A'^ ucll a 'eystem Was successful worked in California, and if applied hero Ne Zealand oreharduta could sell more fruit o the local markets than they now produced. ilr. Ivirk remarked that tho possibility c euch a scheme was a strong reason in favour t owning a national fruitgrowers' associate but in the meantime the monthly bulletia as described by him, could bo revived if tr existing organisations would co-operate nit the Department. In order to facilitate the procuring of'ii formation as to the output of fruit, the cm [prenee decided to recommend associations I hold their meetings during the first week i each month, and ,send reports on tho stal of the fruit crops to the Department, besid< reports of the meetings to the official journal A Now Zealand Federation, The, question of federation of tho frni growers associations was introduced by M Lightband, (Bnghhvater) who suggested the'ii: mediate establishment of a central execuhi with a paid secretary, to lead up to a mo, complete organisation at a later date. Orgai [ration was necessary to regulate tho supp to tho local markets, and it would also 1 needed in tho future to meet the wnll-organisi competition of other parts of tho world I moved: "That all the fruit-growws' associ tions of New Zealand form a federation undi the titlo of 'The Dominion Fruit-.trowet Federation,' and that a central executive ] established." Thi» was seconded by Mr. J. Bennetts (Tevio Mr. E. Wilkinson (Canterbury) said 1 thought the federation should tako in hand tl disposal of fruit throughout tho Dominion. . The. motion was carrind/arid a committoo w appointed to draw up and submit detail proposals. Gorman Owls. Mr. W. H. Smith reported to tho conferen that Mr. Izard und himself had been succc ful in inducing the Acclimatisation Conferon to abandon the intention of opposing the ii portation of German owls. Tho announcement was received with a plause. Through Freight Rates. Mr< U. B. Izard (Stoke) moved: " That t! I conference glace on record its appreciation

the valuable assistance given to tho farming industry bj thp Dopartmcut of Agriculture in issuing circulars and by tho visits of inspectors to tho -various districts, which have led to increased productivity of tho land; and emphasises tho conviction that even,- effort should be made to facilitate the marketing of farm produce, both vnthm and beyond the Dominion, by introdncing a system of through booking by rail and spn.; and that Cabinet be urcod to instruct the Railway Department to work out a'hcheme for through booking: (a) between stations and ports in either or both islands; (b) between snch other ports and stations as would'tend to increase tho volume of trade or passenger traffic; (c) between pork in tho Imitod Kingdom and the Dominion." The movor said that the Minister for Agriculture had spoken of the increased planting of orchard* that had taken placo, and tl'is was a reason why such a scheme should be instituted, if possible UnfortnnaWv, the Railway Department had shown nothing hut indifference to the scheme. Of what nee were settlement and" planting of orchards ' without facilities for distributing the produce? The system was snccessfnl elsewhere, and there was no leason why it should not succeed in New Zealand. Ho suggested that farm, dairy, garden, and orchard perishable produce should ho carried by quick service at half parcels rates between all stations in the Dominion, including those where tho service is partly bv rail and partly by sea, and that pjceptional rates should be instituted to meet fho requirements of a special trade or district. Tho chairman- in supporting tho resolution ' said that a. system of through booking would ' enable the growers to supply tho consumers' With, cheaper.frnit.. ' Tho motion was caTried -unanimously,.and tho chairman, the secretary, and the mover were deputed to bring tho matter before Ministers. A Dominion Executive. The committee which had been appointed to go into the question of a Dominion federation of fruitgrowers* associations reported' at the evening sitting, and recommended that the Hawko's Ba.v Fruitgrowers' Association should form a provisional executive, and should l draw up a constitution to bo submitted to a conference at- Haeting9 next October. Tho report waa adopted; The conference will sit again to-day.