Mr Boucher's Visit.

Thames Star, Volume XXXXI, Issue 10651, 1 July 1904, Page 2

Mr Boucher's Visit.

CIHiTEF GOVEKNMEINT PO'MOLO-

GIST! AT THAMES;

If tho Government* aae doing good practical work at all, it is in connection with the valuable instruction in pomology, that ha* been given to the colonists. Where befoire large areas well planted in trees gave poor returns in fruit, etc., the lessons of the Government pomologLst and his assistants have been attended with such satisfactory .results, that fuiigus, girulbs, and various otlier growths that have affected the bearing power of orchards, have been removed. This afternoon Mr Boucher, Chief Government poiuologist, gave ;h very iutereslting exhi^itii'ijin <<! Uu" vu.lm; of spraying, in Mr W. Burton's, gromnds, which were kindly lent for the d-jm-(teiion. Mb Bb'vJ.her showed how biy the application of various liquids: (of the ■composition, of which- he< crave

interesitini") ch-ibnilsi). die- blca.rijig power® of the tiroes could ibu increased 1 to an extraordinary extent, the deleterious growths uintl: fungi could bo oopod with, nnd the bearing powers of the trees, tiomniuu to' Thuaaes, oomld he increased. Mir Rmchen' axfflaißed that in tliis d'isitirict, the majority of th«? trees ware affected, and that the only pos>sib!e waiv to remove the trouble would be by the adoption of w systematic course of spraying. This would give new 1 vigor to the fcreesi and the owners would fiDd that their trouble and expendi-

quret in th'o matter of spraying, would be returned to> them ten fold. He spoke of the district as offering great possibilities in Mio way of fruit growimgl, and if we mistake not. the •result of Mr Boucher's visit will be the adaption o>f sjl.-'ayingl methods, and a oonsideraW-o impa'ovenient in the quantity and qasaility of local fruit crops.