MACROCARPA TIMBER IN FRUIT-CASES AND OCCURRENCE OF APPLE-SCALD.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XXXIII, Issue 6, 20 December 1926, Page 397

MACROCARPA TIMBER IN FRUIT-CASES AND OCCURRENCE OF APPLE-SCALD.

Investigating recently the prevalence of a severe scald condition in a line of Sturmer apples in a cool store at Hastings, the writer's attention was drawn to the timber used for the construction of the cases in which scalded fruits occurred. In every instance one or two boards of macrocarpa Cyprus were used. Further investigation gave conclusive evidence that these boards were responsible for the damage. A questionable case was selected from a number taken out of store for repacking, and was opened on a side made up of two pieces of timber, one a 7 in. macrocarpa board, the other a 4 in. insignis-pine board. Every apple in the three rows immediately beneath the macrocarpa was scalded, while those beneath the insignis pine were perfectly sound. In addition to the scald condition the fruit in close proximity to the macrocarpa boards was severely tainted, not only having a strong odour resembling that of creosote, but tasting equally strong. The miller of the timber, however, stated that it had .not been treated with any such preservative. As there is no doubt as to the detrimental effect in this instance, it is clear that macrocarpa timber should not be used for fruit-cases. N. J. Adamson,. Orchard Instructor, Hastings.

Orchard Registration and Tax.— For the official year of 1925-26 a total of 6,637 commercial orchards were registered and tax-demand notices issued to the occupiers by the Horticulture Division; £1,502 was collected in orchard-tax and handed over to the New Zealand Fruitgrowers’ Federation less cost of collection. The tax is computed at the rate of is. per acre, with a minimum charge of 2s. 6d.