H.—29a

20

The Vine and Wine Instructor estimates the area under vineyards to be 454 acres, while there are 825 vinehouses throughout the Dominion. The yield of grapes grown under glass was 515,3501b., representing a value of £25,767. Satisfactory prices were realized for good wellgrown fruit. The quantity of wine produced during the year is estimated at 95,000 gallons, which, at a conservative estimate of 2s. 6d. per gallon, represents a value of £11,875. The demand for good wdiolesome light wines is steadily increasing. The Beekeeping Industry. ' This industry is increasing steadily each year. Unfortunately, owing to the very dry season again experienced, the honey crop in the Auckland, Canterbury, and Otago districts was a very light one. In the Southland District, however, where the climatic conditions were much more favourable, a phenomenal yield was secured —in fact, the crop was a record one, and the quantity of the honey first class. The prices ruling for honey are very satisfactory. The demand for practical information on up-to-date methods of apiary management has increased considerably, and as a result a marked improvement is noticeable in the control of disease, &c. A further decrease in the number of box hives being used is also very apparent. The number of apiaries visited and colonies inspected by each Apiary Instructor during the year are as follows : — Apiaries. Colonies. Apiaries. Colonies. Auckland Instructor ... 280 5,737 Christchurch Instructor 371 4,437 Wellington Instructor ... 503 7,522 | Dunedin Instructor ... 599 6,928 In connection with the above figures it must be taken into account that many of these apiaries had to be visited twice, and in some cases three times, in order to ascertain if the instructions left by the Instructors had been carried out. A number of demonstrations and lectures on beekeeping generally have been given during the year by the Instructors in their respective districts. That keen interest is taken in these is evidenced by the large attendance on each occasion. The supervision of the apiary at the Kuakura Farm of Instruction has been handed over to this Division. Experimental work at this apiary is well under way. Export of Honey. The regulations governing the export of honey from the Dominion are now in force, and the industry is now being placed on a sound footing. No honey can be sent out of New Zealand until it has been graded and the provisions of the regulations otherwise complied with. This will ensure a uniform article being exported—a very necessary matter, especially where the building-up of a new industry is concerned. The official statistics show that 2,390 cwt. of honey, valued at £6,067, was exported during the year under review. This is a slight decrease in quantity as compared with the previous year's figures, which is no doubt due to the continued dry weather experienced in many localities. The prices realized were very satisfactory. The bulk of the honey was graded by the Apiary Instructors before shipment. The following are the quantities graded by each Instructor for the year ended 31st March, 1916: Auckland, 635 cwt.; Wellington, 1,062 cwt.; Christchurch, 400 cwt.; Dunedin, 193 cwt. It was found necessary to reject a number of cases on account of rusty tins, bad cases, and poor condition of the honey. No doubt such defects as these will gradually disappear as the requirements of the regulations become more widely known. Publications. The preparation and revising of bulletins on matters connected with the fruitgrowingindustry, &c, and the writing of suitable articles for publication in the Department's Journal has taken up a good deal of time. Staff. The resignations of two or three officers necessitated several transfers being carried out, which interfered to a great extent with the work of the Division, and a large amount of extra work fell on the other officers during the considerable period which elapsed before the vacancies were filled. I am pleased to be able to report that one and all have carried out their duties in a satisfactory manner.

Fruit. Plants, Vegetables, &c. Port of Entry. Grand Total of Packages. Total. Destroyed. Fumigated. Reshipped. Total. Destroyed. Fumigated. 1915-16. Auckland Wellington Christchurch Dunedin Bluff .. Oases. 311,483 137,522 69,806 55,932 7,346 Cases. 840 662 851 515 6 Cases. 5,735 2,252 673 628 57 Cases. 170 474 575 249 40 Paekages. 14,071 21,026 1,824 5,085 1,735 Packages. 6 9 10 28 Paekages. 325,554 162,548 71,630 61,017 9,081 1 1914-15, Auckland Wellington Christchurch Dunedin Bluff .. 344,097 159,336 63,858 69,952 7,160 136 427 105 29 30 10,214 5,014 1,625 1,621 242 30 587 11,894 13,565 1,813 3,648 1,543 5 6 I 4 25 355,991 172,901 65,671 73,600 8,703 35* 11 Vitio.i LTUBE.