THE FRUIT GROWERS' CONFERENCE.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXI, Issue 105, 8 May 1896, Page 4

THE FRUIT GROWERS' CONFERENCE.

* It is to be hoped that the deliberations of the various delegates attending the Intercolonial Conference of Fruitgrowers, now being 1 held m Wellington, will be attended by some practical benefit to the fruit industry m this colony. The idea of the Conference was a good one, and the Government deserve credit for the encouragement and practical assistance they have given to the project, now being carried out, of bringing expert fruitgrowers together from the various colonies for the mutual, and let us hope, bentficial interchange of ideas. So far, m New Zealand, the fruit industry has not attained those proportions which might reasonably be expected m view of the richness of our soil and the peculiarly favourable climatic conditions we enjoy. Fruitgrowing, up to tbe preseni, has been spasmodic, often undertaken by per83ns totally devoid of practical Bxperier.ee, and hampered to no small extent by the twin difficulties of a limited market and the excessive cost of getting the fruit to that market. We see no reason, however, why the industry should not be made much more profitable, but it will have to bo carried out on sound commercial lines, similar to those on which it is carried out m California, and certain parts of Australia. We fear that m too re any instances the lack of proper attention paid to the trees is the cause of the lack of success. The reply to this, so often made, is that it does not pay to bestow much time and care on the trees. Well, all we con say is that m California and other American States, such time and care are liberally given, and tho financial results have proved most encouraging. It seems to us a most extraordinary thing that New Zealanders cannot supply their own market with fruit, and yet we know that every year thousands of tons of Australian and Tasmanian fruit— fruit that can be and is grown hero with success — is imported into the larger centres and thence distributed throughout the Colony. H the trade did not pay the exporter we may be pretty certain that it would not continue, and it appears to usthatthere must be both lethargy or serious want of knowledge on the part of our own fruit growers that they allow their Australian and Tasmanian brethren to maintain their hold m the New Zealand market. Wo hope that the New Zealand delegates to the Conference will keep their ears open for wrinkles from the strangers, that the result may be beneficial to the fruit industry of this Colony. The Government have wisely arranged for a full report of the papers read and discussions held at the Conference to be published by the Agricultural Department and sold at a reasonable price, and no fruit-grower m this district should fail to procure a copy.