FRUITGROWERS' ASSOCIATION

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXX, Issue 14978, 26 April 1909, Page 3

FRUITGROWERS' ASSOCIATION

A monthly meeting of the Canterbury Fruitgrowers’ Association was held on Saturday evening. There was a good attendance and Mr F. Sisson was in the chair. Correspondence was read from tho Hawke’s Bay Fruitgrowers’ Association, stating that it was not in favour of a New Zealand conference of fruitgrowers being held in the same wc-ek as the opening of Parliament. The Association desired that it should bo held in Hastings in October, in order to 6how fruitgrowers from the various Associations what growers were doing in tlieir orchards at Hastings, and also to show them to the best advantage. It was decided that kindred Associations should be asked to agree to a conference to be held in Wellington towards tho end of July or early in August. The following list of (subjects was suggested for discussion, and it was decided to ask tho Associations to consider thorn and (suggest additions or alterations: —(I) Compulsory registration of all orchards of one tree and upwards, and the sale of all fruit under a registered brand or tho grower’s name. (2) Provision that fruit inspectors should have a definite limited area of work and be responsible' to headquarters in Wellington only, with a view to the hotter enforcement of the Orchard and Garden Pests Act. (3) Uniformity of cases and provision that tho not weight should he marked on every case, and no second-hand cases should be used without being properly cleansed. (4) The authorisation of “ The Now Zealand Fanner” as tho official organ for the Fruitgrowers’ Associations of the dominion. (5) Tho better handling of fruit in shipping. (6) Carnage of fruit on the railways at the Railway Department’s risk. (7) Thorn fences as a menace to orchardists. (8) The valuo of different sprays. (8) The establishment of experimental stations for the various centres. .

The Teviot Fruitgrowers’ Association

wrote, stating that it could not sec its way to move ill the matter of compulsory registration. The letter was received and it was stated that the Teviot growers were in a different position from those in other centres, but when the mattsT was fully disenssed at the conference they could probably be brought to see its goneral desirability. The Teviot Association also scut a report of a meeting at which mention bad been made of considerable trouble in regard to railway transit, tho questions of cool-storage cans and carriage of fruit by express train having been discussed. It was resolved that the Canterbury Association should express its sympathy with the Toviot Association and ask it to place the questions before the Conference. The question of the Orchard and Garden Pests Act was discussed. One grower stated that pears badly attacked with black spot had been sold at auction that morning. He was niore or less surrounded by orchard™ infested with codlin moth, and the inspectors did not tell growers who were ignorant wliat they should do for codlin moth. In Christchurch growers could apparently do what they liked, but in other places fines were inflicted. Another grower stated that a certain orchard was badly infected with codlin moth, yet an inspector had said ho could give the grower a clean sheet. The subject was freely discussed and it was agree*! that, if all growers sprayed their trees twice at the proper seasons, tho moth could be kept under, but with constant infection from “over tbe fence,” spraying would have to bo kept up all through tho season. It was resolved that the Government Pomologist should be written to in connection with tlie- matter.