HORTICULTURE.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 10741, 12 November 1928, Page 3

HORTICULTURE.

N.Z. INSTITUTE PROGRESS ON' SOUND LINKS DIPLOMA AND RESEARCH INTERVIEW WITH DOMINION ORGANISER ' Mi* Geo. A. Green, the Dominion organiser who is ill Gisborne for a ft?V days, in the course of 11 short interview with, n.. Times reporter* stated, that since his last visit to Poverty Bay niugh progress lias l>een made. The Institutes. Act, covering the basis for horticultural education, and giving the Institute the power to grant diplomas and to hold examinations in horticulture hag become law. Some sixty odd diplomas have already, been granted to leading , horticulturists, i.e.y those over 40 years of age, and with nob less than thirty years’ practical experience behind them. The younger generation— those with varied lengths of experience—who are under .40 years of age are now applying and their cases are being considered, and .their diplomas wi"l 1 «2i granted on a viva voce examination, or they may be required to do further study in addition to their practical experience. Those diplomas can only be claimed for a shore time from the passing of the Act, after which all applicants will have to. serve a six years’ course, and. sit for their junior and senior examinations before sitting for the diploma examination, the whole course for the students being a six vear cue. The course when completed will be as high in order as any similar one in ’ the Empire. ' A further step has been the taking over by the Education Department as part of the national course of education scheme of the instructional side of tho course. Classes have already been started and others are under consideration wherever there are ten or more students offering. There is in contemplation a.suitablo correspondence course for the use of isolated students who cannot attend regular classes, and for these it is suggested that it may ...be possible to arrange'short intensive student refresher courses under competent instructors and lecturers at stated periods and suitable centres. The Scientific and Industrial Department has granted a small sum of money for citrus research and survey and with this a survey is now befog made -and the work is already under way. Pedigree trees for practical orchard tests are being propagated, while hud selection is progressing satisfactorily. Other matters which are receiving attention include the protection of native trees and plants especially such timber tree? as the kauri, rimu and others, the introduction of new economic plants and the advancement of national botanic gardens for New Zealand.