METHOD OF FIGHTING FROSTS

Southland Times, Issue 23377, 8 December 1937, Page 4

METHOD OF FIGHTING FROSTS

STUDY IN CALIFORNIA BY ORCHARD INSTRUCTOR

(From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, December 7. The steps being taken by the Government to test the frost-fighting methods investigated in California by Mr W. R. Lloyd Williams, orchard instructor at Alexandra, were referred to by the Minister of Agriculture (the Hon. W. Lee Martin) during the discussion on the Supplementary Estimates of the Department of Agriculture in the House of Representatives tonight Discussing an item of £4OO for frostfighting experiments, the Minister said that none of the methods of combating frost so far used in New Zealand had been really effective and at the request of the growers the Government had sent Mr Williams to California to investigate the frost-fighting devices used there. The suggestions he had brought back were now being tested out at the request of the growers to see how effective they would be and what they would cost. The Leader of the Opposition (the Hon. Ada- i Hamilton): What is the nature of these experiments? “One consists of an improvement on the smoke pots used,” the Minister replied. “Another creates a current of heat through the orchard and there is a third method by which growers are able to combat frost damage.”