AN IMPORTANT INDUSTRY.

Colonist, Volume LX, Issue 14620, 26 January 1918, Page 2

AN IMPORTANT INDUSTRY.

FUTURE OF

FRUIT-GROWING

WORK FOR THE NURSERYMEN

The Hon. W. D. S. Mac.Uonald (Minister of Agriculture)' iri" declaring the conference of the Nurserymen's Association open at Christchurch. made some interesting remarks on the industry and its relation to the progress of allied industries. »

The Minister said there was no doubt those engaged in the. primary, industries of the country had been doing their host to keep up to date. Thenursery industry was one of the most important m the country at the present time, and was laying the foundation of many im-^ portant industries. We were only at the beginning of things in this industry and every effort should be made to 'help those engaged in it. it was only recently that the business of the ori chardist had become an organised one, carried on on economic and scientific lines. The Act of 1903 had put new life into the business. Though there were many parasitic diseases in the country at the present time there was no epiciemie that was causing great alarm to crchardists. They ' looked to the nurserymen to provide the proper kinds or' trees. Since IUII the nursery industry had become a very important one. The only drawback so far as the growers of fruit \vere concerned was the pro vision of markets and cool storage m this country. The Government was en~ deavouring to help the fruitgrowers in this respect and had advanced something like £43,000 to companies for providing cool storage. Apples were the most exportable fruit, and it was for th;j nurserymen to discover what Mere the best kinds. Jt had been demonstrated beyond doubt that with proper care and handling fruit, especially apples, could be exported to markets beyond the saas. The ■first shipment .of apples was sent away in 1911, whijji .the Government guaranteed Id per , pound. The apples were landed in good condition in London and since then it has been demonstrated beyond doubt that they could be exported if a payable market-could be obtained. The market we had till the war began was South America, which took the whole of our surplus. It was very .small —some 20,000 cases. With the large amount of land planted, in orchards .since 19.11, and "the .young orchards not yet- in" bearing, orehardiste should be on'the gui vive to find markets, and the best apples for them. He urged the growers to provide for the demand on the local markets at a reasonable price. Only when it was taken no m on economical way, so as to put fnut on tlia local market at a reasonable price would the. industry become a success. They must satisfy the consuming public of this country. He believed tliers was business intelligence! enough among those engaged in the' industry to show them that the future' success depended on that. If ■ unduly high prices were put on their produce it would probably be the death knell ot the There was a total oi 49,G05 acres of commercial- orchards in New Zealand. In 1911 there was 33,----054 acres in orchard' and there had been planted since :— _ „ • Acres. 1912 23(51 1913 ... '.. sgys i9i4 - ::: ?.soa 191« •■ - ... ... 3588 1916 ... ... 2390 1917. ... '... 1535 The "oyyi-ts in 1910 were 5647 cases and m 1914, 67,964 cases. The manner in which the Government otter of financial aid had been taken advantage of, said Mr Mac Donald indicated that the growers were anxious iV .jthc^torage facilities. Referring to the JI prohibition of the importation of \ u *> !, tralian tree.?, the Minister said a very • large, number of trees wee hem'-

brought from Australia- into : New- Zealand. At the beginning of this year it became evident that there was some particular-disease, affecting the Australian trees planted here, and v.n Ordci--in-Uouncil was immediately passed I prohibiting the importation of Australian trees. The questdn of the price ay which trees could be sold to orchardists was one that the nurserymen should go into. When they were advising the people to go in for fruit-growing it was the duty of the Minister of Agriculture to see that the foundation was properly laid so far as the orchards were concerned, and it was with this fact in mind that the Government prohibited the importation of Australian trees. F.They did not want to be antagonistic, to Australia, but. they must protect the:** own agriculturists and horticulturists. Australia had taken-strict precautions for the protection of 'her people and could not complain at New Zealand for taking similar precautions for her own people (Hear, hear.) Tho horticultural branch of the Agricultural De-

partment was doing its best to assist the nurserymen. At" no time in the history of the Agricultural Department had it" been as alive as it was to-day.