NURSERYMEN.

Otago Witness, Issue 3400, 14 May 1919, Page 13

NURSERYMEN.

NEW ZEALAND ASSOCIATION. The New Zealand Association of Nurserymen has now been in existence 12 years, and the dominion secretary, Mr G. A. Green, gave a Times reporter some interesting derails of the association. He stated that amongst the leading objects of the association were a better service, consolidated products, and production of high-class nursery stock from the flowering annual of the workers' cottage to the more pretentious shrub that adorned the scenic gardens. The association also aimed at the reduction of the varieties of fruit trees to the least possible number and as the result of a conference between the Department of Agriculture, the fruitgrowers, and the nurserymen, while the number of varieties have been reduced to the best comcercial sorts, the nurserymen were now selling fruit trees by grade and not age. New Zealand is the first country in the world to adopt this method of handling fruit trees under . Government grading. Another feature that New Zealand leads in is the annual inspection of the various nurseries by Government experts and the issue of certificates only to those nurseries that are free from disease and fulfil the Government regulations. By this annual inspection the buyers are safeguarded from having inferior goods sold them. The Nurserymen's Association urges that there should be a National Institute of Horticulture established so that both practical and theoretical instruction may be obtained. Thus a supply of the best trained men may be obtained to meet the future needs of the dominion.

The nurserymen, unlike most businesses connected with the soil, hare been very hard hit during the war. The demand for various trees and plants has fallen considerably, and at the present time nurserymen have 1,000.000 apple. trees on their hands through war conditions. The nick of the younger nurserymen volunteered or were called to the colours and unfortunately many of these will not return. To replace this loss it will be necessary for the association to train younger men, and this will tako some time.

The surplus of apple trees could easily be utilised if the Government provided suitable land for discharged soldiers to commence fruit farming. The association was willing to the Government more than half-way and supply the trees at bedrock and accept war bonds in payment, and the settlements should be tinder Government control, with supervisors to assist the soldiers. Until the trees became profit-bear-ing the men working under the supervisors

should be assured of a living wage. In the matter of the supervision the association was prepared to assist to the full. In conclusion, Mr Green'said that the association included all nurserymen in New Zealcfhd, and all local matters were dealt with by distriot councils. The association took a keen interest in town-planning, and was going to be representee! at the coming Town-planning Conference by the dominion president, Mr Robert Nairn and representatives from the local district councils, it being recognised that without the experience of tho nurserymen the best results could not be obtained.

A meeting of the Otago nurserymen will be held shortly to meet the national president and secretary.