A NELSON ENTERPRISE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 26 November 1938, Page 11

A NELSON ENTERPRISE

NEW MANUFACTURE REDUCES FRUITGROWERS’ COSTS IMPORTANT WORK AT MAPUA' As a result of an investigation carried out by the Fruitgrowers’ Chemical Co., of Mapua, a process has been developed for the manufacture of Colloidal Sulphur which is used in large quantities by all commercial fruitgrowers, and which was previously imported. Colloidal sulphur is a pure sulphur m an extremely fine form and is as many times as effective as coarse forms of sulphur, such as ground or precipitated sulphur. A plant of special design has been installed and the output is sufficient lo supply the whole of New Zealand s requirements, which are about 1.00,000 lbs per annum. Already commercial quantities of colloidal sulphur are being manufactured at the Mapua Chemical Works, and the locally manufactured preparation is finding a wide sale among fruitgrowers. An interesting: feature is that a well-equipped chemical laboratory in the charge of a qualified chemist, is maintained at Mapua for the control of the various processes and the testing of the finished products. During 1937, the Government introduced a scheme for the testing and certification of insecticides and fungicides with the idea of eliminating inefficient materals. All the orchard spraying materials manufactured by the Fruitgrowers’ Chemical Co., have passed the tests of the Plant Research Bureau, and have been certified. It is now generally recognised that fungicides and insecticides can be manufactured in New Zealand to compete in price and quality with imported materials. Consul colloidal sulphur is manufactured by an electro-chemical method and consequently the process calls for a large quantity of electric power. It is expected that a market will be found in Australia for the New Zealand made article. PIGS “TOPPING” THEM OFF Is It an advantage to feed pigs an extra ration in order to “top” them off during the last period before marketing? In the past this has been the usual practice, but the present grading regulations may mean a definite alteration in this procedure. Experimental at Ruakura has shown that

restricted feeding may play a big part in an improvement as regards the thickness of back fat.®’ Pigs fed on a ration restricted to three-quarters of a normal maximum ration have been found to give the desirable proportion of back fat and to obtain the full premiums under the grading regulations.