REMOVING A BAN

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 86, 10 January 1928, Page 12

REMOVING A BAN

TOO MANY APPLE VARIETIES

DEPARTMENT’S ATTITUDE

When Mr. T. W. Atwood, iiresideat of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers’ Federation, urged that the number of varieties of apples exported Irum the Dominion should be reduced he touched upon a problem which- at present is concerning both the Department of Horticulture, and the Fruit Export Control Board. Both are agreed that limitation of varieties is desirable, but it. is not clear bow this is to be obtained. Mr. Atwood recommended that the number of varieties for export should bo reduced to eight, and of this eight it is recognised tjhat Cox’s Orange Pippins, Jonathans, Delicious, Stunners, Cleopatras, and Dunns would be members. Last year, in the condition issued to govern the granting ot the Government guarantee on exported fruit, the Department of Horticulture staled that the standing of the New Zealand apple trade in England had been detrimentally affected by the large number <,f varieties shipped each season. Many of these represented a few cases only, whilst others were not at all suitable for the market. All those which had been shipped in small quantities, unless specially favoured, would not be forwarded after the 1929 season, and therefore did not appear in the export list. These included Allington Pippin, Baldwin. Blenheim Orange, Cambridge Pippin, Commerce, Crofton, Duke of Clarence, Golden Busset, Horn, John Sharp, Sharp’s Late Red, and Wagner. Apart from this list there wore also a number of more or less unsuitable varieties, such as Alfriston. Boston Busset, Brownlee’s Husset, Golden Pippin, Hoover. London Pippin, Parlin’s Beauty, Salome, Shepherd’s Perfection, Edward Lippiatt, Pioneer, I’remier, Ribston Pippin, Scarlet Pearmain, and Stark. Confusion in shipment, 'multiplicity of shipping marks, and difficulties in handling and marketing brought about this decision on the part of the Department. i The difficulty resides in the fact that many of these varieties are from trees well-grown and in full bearing, and that in some instances they have marketed at three or four shillings above guarantee price. Gradually, to remove the present, trouble, the Department is encouraging growers to plant more suitable varieties which, though (hey may not bear as heavily, will realise better prices and not create the marketing difficulties which are at present in existence.