CITRUS NURSERY NEEDED IN DISTRICT

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22617, 21 April 1948, Page 4

CITRUS NURSERY NEEDED IN DISTRICT

As the Gisborne district is ideally suited for the purpose and free of disease, members of the Gisborne. Citrus Society at the annual meeting last night asked that further strenuous efforts be made to establish a citrus nursery in the district.

Mr. E. Judge said lie had received information from an Auckland source to the effect that stocks of citrus trees would be available for planting out at a cost of £ 1 each. He considered the price of the trees out of all proportion to their value, particularly “as you don't know what (hey are on and don't know where they are coming from.” The trees could be propagated in Gisborne better than anywhere else. Another speaker explained that the establishment of a nursery in Gisborne had been put forward previously and the suggestion had been rejected. It was understood that it would cost several thousands of pounds to establish. “If it is good enough to spend £12,000 in the Islands for the good of the industry there, it should be good

enough for the Government to spend a few thousands in Gisborne, where the industry can be developed if they care,” said the president, Mr. H. Carmichael. “During the war they promised the soldiers that they would get all the assistance they wanted when they returned. but no man can plant out an orchard at the prices being asked for trees.” The demand for citrus budwood was another matter considered, and growers decided that a charge of £1 per 100 should be made. A remit to that effect will be forwarded to the New Zealand Citrus Council to be considered at the conference in Gisborne next month. There had been a growing demand for orange budwood from Gisborne and growers realised that heavy cutting out of budwood meant a loss of potential fruiting branches