i.—i2b.

60. From the commercial standpoint the fair test would be for the present season?— Yes. 61. And on that account you think it would be necessary to go on for another year, and that the coming year would be the real test from a commercial standpoint ?—Yes. 62. Mr. T. Mackenzie.] You think it is absolutely necessary to have this Bill passed in the interests of fruit-growing in New Zealand ?—Yes. 63. Mr. Symes.] Are you quite satisfied with the practical test ?—Yes. 64. It is only the commercial test that you think should be tried for another year?— Yes. 65. Hon. Mr. W. Kelly.] Have you read the Bill ?—Yes. 66. Do you think it would be an injury to Auckland ?—lt would cause a certain amount of hardship, but in the future interests of the industry I do not see how it can possibly get along without a Bill. It is really in the interests of the whole of the colony as against the hardships that may occur in any individual instances for the time being. In remedying the evils of the past, one cannot overlook the fact that there must be some hardship. We have to consider the future of the industry as a whole for the whole of the colony. 67. Hon. Mr. T. Kelly.] I understand it would cost about £1 ss. per acre for those sprays? —Yes. 68. What time do you commence spraying as a rule, and what condition are the trees in— just after the fruit has set ?—Yes. 69. And at intervals of fifteen days after that?— Yes; that is, for an orchard that has been really badly infested for years. 70. Then, with regard to the commercial success of an orchard, I suppose it depends upon the man who has it ?—Yes. 71. Hon. Mr. Duncan.] Are you clear on the matter that in using the usual spray that you have stated here that it is capable of clearing an orchard ?—Yes, sir. 72. Then, with regard to the hardship that would occur in the meantime to those that had infected orchards, what do you reckon it would amount to? What extra amount.would they require to comply with the Act, or to comply with cleaning their orchards similarly to what you have stated you have done ?—lt would be a difficult matter to estimate that. It would differ in every case. 73. You might estimate the average. What do you think it would cost you ?—We might take it from our own reports, although the expenses in our own cases have been greater on account of the difficulty of getting skilled labour. I have reckoned really, on the whole, that the expenses have been three-fourths more than they should have been. The difficulty at Otahuhu has been in getting skilled and expert labour. I started last season with a man and got him into the way of doing the work I required, but lost him, and in the middle of the season I had to start again with another man and get him into the way of doing the work. This means that while the man is learning he is losing time, compared with the man who is accustomed to the work. 74. Now, as a practical man, supposing, for instance, this Bill was put into effect, in the course of six years hence would it be a disadvantage to the owner of the orchard who complied with the Act or an advantage to him ?—A decided advantage, sir. 75. Supposing that the orchard was badly infected to start with ?—Yes, it would be a decided advantage. 76. Then, did you take any notice of the difference in the orchards where the pigs were put in ? You said th_ pigs were put on one-half ?—Yes. 77. What was the difference then in the percentage, one from the other ?—The percentage of fruit gathered from the trees ? 78. Yes ?—There was practically no difference between the percentage of fruit gathered from the' trees on the half where the pigs were and that under cultivation. 79. Did you gather anything as to whether you would prefer the ploughing or the pigs ? Which do you think would be the best ? You were treating it both ways?— For my part I should prefer the cultivation. It is what I have generally advocated, thorough cultivation in every orchard. Still there are cases where a farmer is keeping a number of pigs, and they might just as well, as a matter of economy, be kept in the orchard. 80. Mr. Buddo.] In this return you have made here it refers entirely to Otahuhu : have you any experience in connection with the tests and experiments with fruit-trees in the South Island ? —No. 81. Was this Otahuhu orchard infected with the ordinary apple-scale and woolly aphis ?— With the woolly aphis and mealy bug, but not with the mussel scale. 82. Then, those experiments you made there were almost entirely in the direction of dealing with the codlin-moth ?—Yes. 83. I presume you are aware that in the South Island the mussel scale is the enemy of the apple : can it be controlled by spraying ? —Yes ; but not by Paris green or such sprays that we use for the codlin-moth, but by other sprays. 84. Are you of opinion that the scale and woolly-aphis blight could be equally well dealt with by special treatment in the South Island as the codlin-moth is dealt with in the North Island ?— Yes, I have no doubt about it. Approximate Cost of Paper. —Preparation, not given; printing (1,200 copies), £3 13s. 6d.

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