1.—12b,.

the tree, but I feel assured that if any member were present here to-day he would admit that at no time during the season were they able to find any considerable percentage of infested apples upon the trees. I have endeavoured to treat the committee in a perfectly honourable manner all through, and I think the Auckland committee admit it themselves. With regard to spraying, I commenced spraying in November and continued until the early part of April. 5. Hon. the Chairman.] What extent was the orchard ?—Two acres. 6. Was it entirely an apple-orchard or were there other fruits?—lt was entirely apple. 7. Have you had any practice with mixed orchards ? —We have a mixed orchard at Henderson. I have had experience. 8. And is the codlin-moth as injurious to other fruits—pears, for instance—as well as apples? —Yes ; some varieties of pears are particularly affected by the codlin-moth. 9. Has this orchard been cultivated during the time you have been experimenting on it ?— Yes ; it was cultivated the second season. 10. What sort of cultivation ?—Ploughing, and digging round the trees where it was necessary and where the plough could not reach. 11. Half of the orchard or all of it?— Half of the orchard. 12. I did not follow exactly how you arrived at the different results in the orchard where you treated the trees differently. How do you arrive at the effect one spray would have in one case as compared with the other? The grubs continually go back to the trees and fruit ? —No, sir, the grub attacks the fruit at once. 13. Do you mean that there are several successive broods during the season? —That is a matter that is open to question. In my opinion, practically there is no second brood. The majority of the grubs remain dormant during the winter months, but develop into moths and infect the fruit the following season. 14. If that were so what would be the use of bandages? Are not bandages to catch the grub when it falls ? —By catching the grubs of one season those grubs are prevented from developing in the following season. 15. I am talking of while the season is going on? —As far as one season is concerned, I do not consider that the bandages have any appreciable effect upon the percentage of the fruit saved during that year. 16. Do you not think, if the bandages were not there, they would travel up and get into the f ru it ? —The same grub does not enter the fruit a second time. 17. Have you any experience of the grub destroying almost entirely the fruit in the storehouse?— Yes ; "but that is from the undeveloped eggs of the codlin-moth which are dormant upon the fruit at the time the apples are placed in the store. 18. Why do you say that it is admitted that the grub never enters the fruit a second time : is it your own opinion ?—Yes ; that is my experience. 19. You named the cost at about 4s. 2d. per acre : that is of a single spraying?— Yes, in wellcultivated orchards. 20. What does it mean—two men?— That is a man and a boy and a horse. 21. Mr. Massey.] Have you anything in the way of a balance-sheet to show the cost of the operations as compared with the fruit saved ?—Yes, we have. 22. Will you put it in to the Committee? Balance-sheet read and handed in as follows :— ...' Otahuhu Obchard. First Season (only Part of Tear — viz., October-April). £ s. d. £ s. d. Labour horse-hire, &c, for spraying. .. 8 13 6 Sale of sound clean apples (infested apples Tools appliances, &c. .. .. ■ • 45 0 given away for pig-feed :no sale for them) 23 12 9 Spraying-materials .. •• •• 12 7 Tools, &c, on hand .. ..£450 Fruit-cases, cartage, &c. .. .. .. 316 0 Less 10 per cent, wear-and-tear.. 8 6 Rent for six months .. . • • • 7 10 0 3 16 6 £25 7 1 £27 9 3 Second Season (Whole Year). £ s. d. £ s. d. Labour horse-hire, &c, for cultivation, Balance from last year .. .. .. 22 0 nruning spraying, &c. .. .. • • 70 8 1 Sale of sound apples .. .. .. 613 3 Tools and appliances 16 13 9 Apples (sound) sent to South African contin-Spraying-materials .. .. ■• 3 4 9 gen.ts-52 oases at ss. .. •• •• 13 ° ° Fruit-cases, cartage, &o 13 19 2 Tools, appliances, &o. .. £16 13 9 Rent for year .. •. ■ • .. 15 0 0 On hand from last year .. 316 6 20 10 3 Less 10 per cent, wear-and-tear 2 10 18 9 3 Approximate cost of cartage .. •• £110 Spraying-materials, fruit-cases, &c, on hand 217 0 "" Apples (sound) now m cool-stores —191 cases at 7s. .. .. .. .. 66 17 0 £120 6 9 £109 18 6 23. So it has not been what you call a commercial success as yet ?—No ; taking an orchard like that you could not expect it. „-■__.. .„ , 24. You think it will probably be a commercial success next year !— l anticipate it will be much better. , 25. On that account you want to keep on for another year /—Yes.

2—l. 12b.

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