ICELAND FRUITGROWERS UNION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12726, 1 December 1904, Page 7

ICELAND FRUITGROWERS UNION.

; . TWELFTH .ANNUAL CON- ' - •;'■:• -FERENCE. ;; ; '.j-iS «niiuai conference of the Auckland :, pafiiroivers' Union was; resumed at Jar ." ~ „t-;'|i Buildings, ;Svvßns3n-.vtreet.,yest-erday: .amin g. Mr. H. M. Phillipson, vice-presi-j ' istii, presided, and there was a fair attendancei ''delegates. ■ '.V '\ '•".'V- '"!". ( INSECt;.: PESTS.,, ;■;:■- Cap,M» n T. Brou'n, . F.E.S. (Government, . : Entomologist)*; read a paper on the work don's *-y him during the past year amorist tke.'fruit growers' enemies.; 0f.., the ,insect - :: world"' , v.it.h;_ regard to the large con- "-' signments "of. imported fruit trees which ' pttPsed''bYt_r ,t!w AVhjii-f k he stated that as a complete inspection, would occupy a long time, "fie'of ten arranged with the consignees to have them fumigated, thus saving much time as''Well as ensuring the destruction of all pesp, whether scheduled or otherwise. The most dreaded pests which had to be jtost vigilantly 'guarded against were . the .Mediterranean ..arid Queensland fruit flies. The h\t'(er bad already .been reared for experimen'fa'l purjibses." in the colony from . Island and Queensland fruit. '..'-The', former had never" been br«vd bere from' Island fruit, . and it' might therefore bo concluded that

it. did not -exist within : the groups of islands from which fruit was imported. The fruits generally' affected by the Queensland fly were oraujjes, mandarins, mangoes, baiiatiHSs, qgcenadiltos, lnarumao apples, tomatoes., ; pineapples, and passsim fruit. From pineapples > (:vl.uch, with passion fruit, had beeaw, v <S)iifidsre>fcl invulnerable), -be had roared ; a-ivw.v specie of > fruit fly- named OacussartAhodos, and » subsequently found it

in oranges, grenadiHos, and mammae apples 6, Iroai Tuggjk and P.&ro&otiga. Another : r noxious «y, the Lonchaea splendida, had | been r«*r«!4'st Auckland from Sydney tomafe toes. ~.Thj% 4 fly, when alive, was of & bril- /='•• liant - broiased-greeii ooloiw, with bright i-hoeola'tfli eye& A third imported fly was ';.,- one referred to by him at the- last confer£o£ ence as fche Drosoplula anipleonbila. This preyed on bruised or decaying ftuit, and S V ~ was a small fly, generally of a brownish - yellow>jC<?lvwr, with brilliant red eyes. It Was a.eosauopolitwn insect, which had become* i»ery u rouble during warm weather <}l in many kinds of fruits, especially bananas, oranges and pineapples. It bred rapidly and prolitibaUy. These flies were not in- -.; eludeds,in the" schedules of the Orchard and Garden Teste Act, and he was there- £' fore powerless to condemn fruit infected pW with stf' -' ■ •"' • ~ ' Captain TSroun was thanked for his paper, . ' wind a *cs.olut-ioii was passed to the effect * -that t-I#MAJovernment should be asked to *'■" ; " brine jthecDaeus, xanthodes .and Lonehaea ■ splendid* -wttlau the operation of the OfV' cii3rdif»r(.4; Garden Pests Act. * NOEtfe ISLAND FRUIT INDUSTRY. Mr.»-W. A. Boucher (Government Pomologistjirejd a paper on the " Present Position and.- Future "Outlook of the Fruit Industry '"ln the' North Island." He said that New Zealand growers appeared to * have arrived at &nd partly passed through thy transition stage at which the grower . found hiiioelf ' confronted with four important -considerations, via.-—(1) The fact > thai contains; many .trees that iTt-:uupr%ij(tabl<!;.(") the necessity for adopting measures to keep pests. •within, rvjsso'uable bounds;- (3) protection from eSttvjjess or iarhlfenjtit neighbours; (4) - " . development* of markets, both in preserving to supply i'local demands-' and for export, unci tor*' export of fresh fruits.: Thsse were aJiVjScrious <»nsiderations for commercial,' growers. When the wast© of time, Isii'd apd'labotir was all taken into account, it would &* seen that a number of uiu.proSt7;"' able trees -.-.'as a serious matter. As to kCepiugipeits .within reasonable bouitds, it . -.was j*rai>£ically impossible to produce the t - best qjjalifcyt of fruit without spraying, which was an jtxpcussvo item in the year'*,operations, -. q'qil therefore protection from careless > )'. or indj,|fejr<i;it" neighbours was' essential, lor to makfj.; praying effective infection from outside,jsources must be avoided; The question cf.4h'e development of markets opened | up & wide field, and upon it the future ex*, | 7 -pansiou-fjof th& industry mainly depended, j \, The opening up of new markets depended 1 :; v principally 1 upon the supply of sufficient j varietiessuitable for preserving* and for j fresh export,. Much progress had been j made in i™-*«y districts infthe planting, of euitable/stxees, but - - much still remained to be done.; : The various peats also were now much tier recognised and mote effectively dealt wifei and before long neglect in this respect, rrould be, an exception rather than the rul&i- Protection from careless neighbours. Mould be afforded under tho new Act. [Much progress had been, made in planting, i&rees suitable for canning, and he : was lcoM»g forward to the time when they would ■b4 i to commence an* export trade in preserved fruits. '&» thought "that; ah' export itigwie m preserved fruits might bo commenced - next 'season. From 700*3 to 10,000 case*-, could be .procured, from : ; the' South Island for shipment this season, Bad possibly ,*h» North Island might Bisppk- - meat this. * He was_ certain that when united "effort had been made to control the cocllin TfiOth'they would hare ample iiujipliea for i'ea-porL f ' Northern'-' apples would | \ bold: thai* own in any other part of the ] world. Eieh if Northern growers were not vet prepared to participate in » shipment ! Home t^y. would "feel the benefit of [the ; local mSjMis' being relieved o.f the iffr . posed : shid&ent from the South. Altogather that the future out- ''-''■■■'' look ■ wa# '■'aMibpeful: one. , • :; -It tras resolved to ask the . Government to guarantee-Id 'per lb net on all selected i «ipp!ee l pears for export which passed • the Government grader. • ... - Sir. Morrison (Warkworfch). said that m •regard to' apples, they oould- be grown as f. well in the North as anywhere else in- the p colony, and he bid proved the 1 quahiy of I his apples by shipping a consignment Home. Mr. "HZ "fff'Sharp also said that if proper rarieftiea Were grown and ©are, was taken in ;" ; bajfdling"-aioT shipping,: the apples would "-- rcalke good prices in the Home market. - * -'POSAOH CfULTURE. .- Some discussion took place regarding the most suitable varieties c peaches to grow -'• for'ouiniag.-'lt was ttidfd that Mr. Johns >• bad forwitraed a list of Oaliforni&n varieties which he coksidered suitable, but Mr. Sharp said he tesbed all tldeae with on» exception, and -had'found that they, could not be wM profitably '~,.; :. ...-.!-(_; • "■-■"", P:-. Mr. Etiirges thought thai the Department u~' ehofeld to asoertein by means- of #xperiinentß; ; which varieties were the most sm:table. ; '.'''«' .' '-.'.,. ■-.''. "'' *1 -Mr'. Morr"iiiO?i said it was uianecessary to have L a large'number of vaneWfes. -. Three ffOcy"Tarie«ee;.'or, at the most, six, to carry ;/ growers the season were quite injfh- ;'•-.; ': cient. ■ '""^^ '-.*. '-'•-■ '---r--."- ''.'.' Mr. Howe J «aid be; had 16 Jiarei ;in oeachv* afc-TVu-aega, hut ? although he ad been exparimenting for five -years be oaci been find any varieties wfaich - could'. b*i AhM for consistent cropping, although he'bad had occasional good crops. "-. .', K '' V ££' >)' ->--. ; '■''. "'I '."•.'jV-.*'- : '.-,-' Mr. Esucher exhibited a specimen and a' %•' photograph;:of:: tha root knot, a very deadly W- enemy of pe«h trees, which bad made its appearance ;in some orchards. He ihougnt "" it was possible- to trace all the trees.affected 'and to "stamp".it out'if prompt measures were taken.:. : '<■■' " i 'A discussion took place on the matte*, and th/we . .growers who had had the root knot- iurtheiccorefaards related their experi- ,:"".-. ences, ; ,iit> ' v .; :^> ' 1! -"'';"... ,' ,,'.;',;'. .',:■;. '.'..;'•*. '.y, ' NUiUWjSS AND .THE PESTS ACT. Mr.' Mcrvison' asked Mr. Boucher whether . the Department intended to take any actitw in rs'firy to tHe nui series m (xmnec- • tion with the administration of the Orchard and CJardeh'Pests Act? ( ■ >~...-'.- -' Mr ■ ■ said' no immeoiato action bad-rieeu ; taken, as'it was ( not desired to do U -vtbiriir-' harsh, '' but it ;,wa4 '■ certainly intended -to' enforce the provisions of the Act ii) r«*pe«t ,;, t'he ccrseriea." , . :,•"= ~ ADDBESS ok VINE-GROWING. Mr 'II y ßragaio, the Government "Vitictiiturist.'delivered -h address on the vsnegrowing industry.;; He described the garni * tions of soil necessary .for the... sue*e«*f cuhuo'Of Hines; .He said that many parts oi New Zealand : were well suited to, the srrowtb'er'the'Mric. and he thought the, mdustry might be : curried on to, » greater exrent thairaf present. - Grapes could be prodnced girder .glass, from .. September till - ■ : April. '''He tia* introducing several new . ■ varied of late grapes (including .the^Jeruafelem wTOe'drape).-and hoped ma year or ' two to be able to supply cuttings Sowers. Mr V!'M. Wilson exposed his pleasure " at listens (to " Mr.', Briigato 6, »ddr«*. but said he was rather sospt.cal.as to it being r *poasib!c w to produce grapes .)n, September, tt»d said-he would be «lad to learn how this could bo"flime. '■';, \ ','• „„,i - •Some-Ifurtlier discussion ensued, and several ■''riheitjons "-were answered by Air. ' ".; Brag-itb/frho- said be thought that the vinct Krowers' fere entitled to. the. benefits ol •> oj;p»rimeiifar vinery. He would be pleased ;" to rarof tile* growers a* far ts possible in ' this dirtcifen. , , , ;- . ~■ . ~. r- Mr. Wllten said •ho would be. glad to hand over'oiie 'of his vineries to Mr. »' , .:' «ato ft;-.- We purpose indicated. Mr. tJragato said he - would ,be pleased to accept tne offer if She'conditions were suitable.

LOSSES IN SHIPPING. ; Mr. Hutohings brought up the question of snipping companies, being made responsible lor losses to fruit in transit. Ho I said that m the United States a law which made the companies ; responsible was working well, and he thought such a law should r be enforced in New" Zealand. He was informed that in America 4it was almost an unknown thing to have a wise of fruit broken into during several thousand miles of travel. Mr. vChirmah narrated an ■ experience which he had had in shipping fruit to the Southland said he had been compelled to pay : full freight charges when the fruit arrived at its destination in unsound condition.'. -. .. . ;•,; :,„-, ;-: -..v.- ■-..,. .-.;.. ■ Mr. Howell said that in Tauranga the growers were in a worse position than other growers in this M-espeot, and he narrated his- experiences in shipping to New Plymouth., .

• Mr, J. H. Maekie (secretary) slated that the executive committee had waited upon shipowners some time ago with a request for a "reduction, in freights to Union members and compensation for pillage, or damag* iu transit. They were told that Now Zealand was the only colony in which fruit was carried at the same rates as Ordinary cargo, a higher rate being charged hi other colonics. In regard .to pillage, this was difficult to trace., and detection was often rendered more difficult by growers railing to give immediate notice of-complaints., ft' seemed that the. only wav to secure better treatment in shipping was to pay a higher freight. He .mentioned that since previous complaints were made there had been a great improvement in the carriage of fruit by rail. ' , ..;■ Mr. Sturges said that, whilst 123 ? 6d was charged for carrying a ton of fruit to Southern ports, only 10s was charged for a ton of potatoes. . . After one or two further remarks the matter dropped. ";'. "■' '■•■■•• -rc*..=: ' .•',>THE- POTATO BLIGHT. rV - Mr. Sturges exhibited to the members of the conference some specimens .of potato stalks which had been treated with vermorite. Some of the stalks wore- infected with the blight before being treated, and some were not infected. After a vote of thanks had been passed to the chairman the conference was closed.