H.—34.

I was pleased to note that in Great Britain new New Zealand fruit products were being successfully marketed, and I feel that in this respect further exploitation of fruit juices and canning is well worthy of attention. The Low Temperature Station at Cambridge has carried out valuable work which assists in these directions. I noted that work was in progress on a low-temperature concentration process for passion-fruit which may reduce freight charges owing to the concentration and cheaper packing charges. I also visited the New Zealand Passion-fruit Juice Factory at Slough, where juice from Kerikeri is treated. I saw evidence of the rapid development of gas storage of fruit in Great Britain, and, while this method of prolonging the life of stored fruit represents a distinct advance in scientific achievement, its general adoption will make necessary profound economic adjustments in our fruit industry, enabling, as it will do, the English fruit crop to be available for consumption over a much longer period of the year. An important question therefore arises in guiding the future of the fruit industry into such channels as will enable it to fulfil requirements of our overseas customers differing from or additional to those at the present time. WHEAT. Largely following upon the attention which the Wheat Research Institute has devoted to the breeding and selection of wheat, its proper harvesting, storage, blending, and to baking processes, this industry is now on a more stable basis, and the public are receiving a bread of much more even quality and higher standard generally. There still remains much to be done, and I was impressed by the attention which was being devoted to wheat-breeding at various research stations, and to baking and milling problems generally, in a number of centres in Great Britain. This indicates that New Zealand should keep in line by pursuing wheat research assiduously, and by so doing stimulate development towards the production of improved wheats and new wheat products. The organization of the New Zealand Wheat Research Institute is almost unique in the world, in that it is jointly run by growers, millers, and bakers in co-operation, and consumers represented by the Government. There is no doubt that this has led to more harmonious relationships between these partners in the industry. During the year the first crossbred wheat bred in New Zealand (Cross 7) was grown on a commercial scale and has maintained its standard of yield and quality, so that in future a strain peculiarly suited to local requirements will be available. Every endeavour has been made to ascertain methods for improving flour quality, and investigations of the influence of soil moisture, of different storage methods, and of modifications in milling and baking practices have been under examination. The use which is being made of the services of the Institute still continues to increase, and each year sees a larger number of tests put through by those desirous of effecting improvements in their wheat growing, milling, or baking methods. SOIL-SURVEY. While it is a truism that New Zealand's greatest source of wealth lies in its soil, and that strikingly good use has been made of our soil resources during the comparatively brief period which the country has been settled, yet the question arises as to how much we really do know of the potentialities of our land resources. Recently there have come very radical changes in the technique of soil-survey practices, so that modern methods are much better designed to afford sound advice on problems of land - utilization. Taken in association with the Dominion's advantageous climate, our soils can be remarkably productive of a wide range of crops, and the present surveys are designed to indicate possible extensions of certain crop areas, the adaptability of soils for their appropriate pastures, best manurial and cultural treatments, and their relations to stock nutrition, health,

8