THE FRUITGROWERS' CONFERENCE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12007, 2 April 1901, Page 2

THE FRUITGROWERS' CONFERENCE.

SOME INTERESTING PARTICULARS,

Mr A. Moritzson, president of the Dunedin Horticultural Society, to whose energy j and persistent advocacy of the project the ! fact, that iv' conference of horticulturists, pomologiste, viticullurists, and entomologists. I will he held in Dtmediii during the currency i of tho winter fhow, has supplied us with , aA.uge amount of interesting information 1 relative to the event. I The conference, which will be held under the auspices of {he Dunedin Horticultural I Society, will be the third' of the kind in the colonies.- The first was-held in Wellington in May, 1E96, and the second in Brisbane in .Time, 1f97. This,year's conference,, unlike j those that have preceded it, will not be intercolonial iu character.. It will, however, be attended by delogates from all parts of New Zealand, some 70 or £0 representatives of various societies being expected to be in attendance, and by Government officers, while there is a prospect also that .dukgs.i.'.3 may be present from' Iturotonga and other islands of the Pacific. So far tho following societies have expressed their intention to be represented at the conference:—The Canterbury Horticultural Society, the Ashbnrton Horticultural Society, the Manawatu i Fruitgrowers' Association, the Horowhenua Horticultural Society, the Port Albert FruitGrowers' Association, the Greytown, Waitaliuna, Hastings, Waimate, Peel Forest, Bay of Islands, Hokitika, and West Taieri Horticultural Societies, tho Auckland Fruitgrowers' Association, the Wellington Hortir, cultural Society, tho Teviot Fruitgrowers' Association, and tho Invercargill Horticultural Society. Each of these societies will be represented by two or three delegates, and j it is nntioipatcd that practically the whole of the colony will be represented at the conforoncs. The subjects for discussion will comprise horticulture, pomology, viticulture, ento-! mology, and boo culture as it affects horticulluripts. Arrangements have already been mndo for tho resiling of papers upon subjects of interest to fruitgrowers and florists. Among others, several Government officers : will contribute papere-Mr T. W. Kirk, F.L.S., on "Fijioiuh and Foes"; Mr J. C. Blackmore, on ''Fruit Culture in Nelson"; Mr W. J. Palmer, on "Budding and Graft- i ing"; Mr S. J. Fitch, on "Personal Experiences with some Spraying Comuounds " ; and Mr W. A. Boiitc'ner, on "The Peach, and Tls Disease?." Mr Lionel Hanlnn, who , has just returned from the old country, on behalf of tho Auckland Fruitgrowers' Association, will bring an exhibit to the conference and contribute , a papsr on " Handling of Fruit in Transit." Papers will also bo i supplied by the following gentlemen:— Mr G. 11. Grapes, of Paroparanamu, on."Fruit Pests from a National Aspect"; Mr A. E. Lowe, of- Tai Tapu, on " Flowering and , Onwmontal Trees and Shrubs"; the Hon. E. C. J. Stevens; Mr Joseph Tamblyn, of Teviot, on . "Fruitgrowing iu. Central ' Olago " ; Mr R. H. Fcnton, of Eaipara, on ; "Viticulture and .Wine-making"; Mr JVm.'i Rowe, of Normanby, on forming a national or royal society, and also on "Judging"; by Mr James Allan, of Wyndliam, on " Bee Culture from tho Horticultural Point of View"; and by Mr H. Bloxham, of Roxburgh, on "Picking and Packing Fruit for Market." Thero will not merely be a conference, however,' of delegates from societies. The ' invitation in which the Duncdin Horticultural Society requested the co-operation _of kindred societies in the colony in arranging' the conference contained also a request to' them to Ecnd by their dologatee as large a | collestion of fruit grown irt their district as would bo'possible nt the time of the year for purposes of exhibition. There will also, probably, bo an exhibition of chrystaiitliemums atilio sumo time. The Government has declined to assist the conference by any monetary grant, but, along with tho leading steamship companies, it has consented to mako certain concessions, tjin nature of which wiil appear from tho following circular issued by the Duncdin Horticultural Society in announcing tho intontion to hold the confcroKee:—"Tho Government will provide, a shorthand reporter to take notes of the proceedings, with a view to printing same/ j They also intend irsiu'ng excursion tickets to tho delegates, The Union Steam Ship j Company, tho Northern Steamship Com- ' pany, and tho Huddart-Parker lino have also agreed to reduca the steamer fares by 10 per cent., and the Government has been good enough to agree, after the various reductions have been mndo, to pay lialf tho cost of the steamer, railway, and conoh fares of tho authorised delegates that may ntjend from all parts of tho colony." Tho expenses con- '■ nected with the conference will, it is exported, amount to between £150 and 5200, ' of which somo £50 or £60 will be required for the provision of trophies, gold and silver medals, and certificates as prizes for the fruit exhibition. Tho competition in this, it should bo noted, will bo restricted to societies: there, will bo no individual competitors, but bocieties will show collections of fruit representative of their districts. The matter of the provision of the necessary funds is causing' the local society some anxiety, and an appeal will probably be made to the public for assistance. In the meantime, help is being solicited from, the Retailers' Association. The question of the housing of tho exhibits has also become a serious, one. The conference and fruit exhihition will be held contemporaneously with the Agricultural and Pastoral Society's winter show, and it is now probable that the latter will absorb tl:o whole of the accommodation, extensive though it is, offered by tho Agricultural Buildings. On applying for tho iiso of the Garrison Hall the Horticultural Soeioty was met with the information that tho whole of that building will be required nt the time dated for military pur--1503C3. At tho present time tho question of tho provision of '?. suitable hall is naturally causing some uneapineis to the executive of the" local society, but it is hoped that all difficulties may be satisfactorily overcome. Tho Garrison Hall would, in default'of the Agricultural Hall, bo unquestionably the most euitablo building in town, and it is hoped that circumstances may yet arrange themselves eo a? tc make that hall available.