FRUITGROWERS.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18426, 6 July 1925, Page 5

FRUITGROWERS.

CANTERBURY ASSOCIATION. The monthly meeting of the Canterbury Fruitgrowers' Association wis held on Saturday night at the Y.M.C.A., owing to alterations being in hand at the A. and 11.l 1 . Association's rooms. Mr E. Freeman prosided over 3 fair attendance. The chairman announced that Mr A. Merton had invited them to attend a demonstration at his orchard, Harewood road, on the 18th inst., when Mr L. Paynter would give .1 demonstration of spur pruning and the pruning of young trees. New Railway Tariff. The manazer of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers' Federation wrote setting out tlift changes in the new railway tariff affecting fruitgrowers. He stated that the rates tie* fruit cases in Bhooks, empty rases, and returned empties, had been f-onsiderab'y altered to the disadvantage of growers. The free railage on shnoks for fruit cases granted up to 100 miles had been deleted, and the rate proposed was half-rates class C, which wo'iid mean for 100 miles 23s Gd'per ton, 150 miles '-'Bs. 200 miles ;!0s Bd. As the weight of cases varied according to the seasoning, associations will require to work out the extra post per case themselves. The chairman emphasised the fact that it was proposed to charge by weight. Mr L. Sisson: AVe don't want it by weight. The chairman, replying to a question, said that the Federation was moving in thf: matter, and desired the Association's backing. The executive had instructed the secretary to reply that they desired the previous rates. Several members said that it was no use asking for that. Mr L. Sisson: "U'e have got to pay! The chuirman suggested that the 'charge should be by truck, and not per ton. Mr A. 8. Beckett said that it seemed to him that the matter was being rushed, and that it was not fair on the part of the Department that it did not give them an opportunity to consider the new rates—the least the Department could have done was to have sent theni n circular. They did not want their goods carried free; the railways must be made to pay, but the fruitgrowers also had to live. The secretary (Mr H, E. Morgan) said that the Association could only work through the Federation. It would be useless for the Associations to act individually. After some further discussion it was agreed, on the motion of Mr Beckett, seconded by Mr Cone, to recommend the Federation to aslc for the continuance of the old rates; failing that, the charge should be by truck; and failing to get a truck Tate, that the rate bo by measurement at ouchalf timber rates. The Recent Conference. The Association's delegates to the annual conference of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers' Federation—Messrs -Morgan, C. Sisson, and T. Armstrong—reported on the proceedings. Thero was considerable discussion regarding the alteration of the Federation constitution respecting the representation of the Associations. It was considered that the Canterbury Association with two delegates was under-represented as compared with one delegate each for Waimate and North Canterbury. The chairman expressed the opinion that the Canterbury Association should have' three delegates. Mr P. W. Cone explained that the delegates to the Dominion conference wouid be appointed only by the Associations. Mr Ij. Sisson commented on the maimer in which the Nelson delegates attempted to dominate the conference. Jieferring >o tho remarks made at. the conference regarding the hard times experienced by fruitgrowers, he said that Canterbury growers did not need any sympathy, us they wore doing all right, and their fruit held its own against the fruit from any other district. Mr Cone, in the course of his report, confirmed Mr L. Sissoti's remarks regarding Nelson's attempts to dominate the conference. The delegates were accorded a vote of thanks by acclamation. Advertising Campaign. The chairman _ said that at next meeting they should go into the question of jifl.vftrtising Canterbury fruit, and ho thought that a committee should bo set up consisting of a representative from Heatlicote, Psipanui, and Loburn. They should advertise through the newspapers much in the same way as tlio prohibition and liquor parties ' would be dqing soon, though he did not anticipate that they would have any opponents in respect of their campaign. ' 'We want to notify the people through th<> newspapers about our fruit, and boost it up," * he added. As the hour was late, action was deferred till next meeting. PRUNING DEMONSTRATION. A fairly large number of those interested in fruit-tree pruning attended the demonstration given on Saturday afternoon by Mr L. Paynter, Government Orchard Instructor, at Mr Frank King's orchard, Horotane Valley. Mr King believes in systematic drainage, and those who attended the demonstration reaped some of the benefit, for despite the heavy rainfall during the week the ground was tolerably dry—a good deal drier; at any rate, than would have been expected in the circumstances. Mr Paynter demonstrated on peach, apricot, and plum trees.

Mr Paynter, before starting the demonstration, made some interesting general remarks. He said that there was no possibility of iaying down hard-and-fast rules as to pruning, whether it was the pruning of stone fruit, or apples and pears. One had to make a careful survey of a tree before determining on the treatment given it; the pruner should determine what the tree was going to do, and what lie could make it do. The question was often raised as to whether pruning was not opposed to Nature. Nature would prune if trees were left alone, but her methods were rather ruthless, compared with man's—she broke, and did not cut. Pruning was necessary to maintain a balance between wood growth and fruit production. It should be remembered always that a tree was a living thing, and that it could be treated so that it would' respond to such treatment; certainly the response did not always come up to their expectations, for the simple roason that it was not possible to determine what spring conditions would be. The aim should be to try to produce fairly even and consistent crops over a long period of years. Some growers had realised the necessity for producing a lesser number of fruit, but fruit of a higher grade. The. production of a lot of miserable half-developed fruit was not considered a paying proposition. An even crop of well-grown, highlyflavoured fruit was what was wanted fruit that would be so attractive that the public would demand a continuous supply of it. Different methods of pruning were used in respect of stone fruit as compared with pip fruit. The peaclC for instance, only grew fruit on wood that had been produced the previous year; the apple, on the contrary, would bear fruit on spurs year in and year out provided the spurs were not injured. As regards pruning, no two commercial orchardists pruned in the same way, but they got the same results. In details they departed from hard-and-£;ist methods. The first thing to be done was to cut out all dead and dying wood; this was most because as long as it was allowed to remain was a menace to the tree. Another important thing was to prune So that the tree spread and did not grow too upright. A branch growing straight up would not produce as much fruit as oiie growhig outwards. Mr Paynter pruned two large peaeh trees and also a young one —three years old, In respect of the young tree, lie showed how it should be opened up by cutting out practically all the centre of it. He also pruned nu apricot and an English plum. As regards apricots, he said that there was no great art in pruning them once the tree was formed, as fruit grew on the old as well as the new wood. As to English plums, once the tree was formed it was better to leave it alone, and not. cut it except to thin out the branches. Mr King had already pruned his Japanese plums, and these were inspected, and it was noted that they had been cut back hard. At the conclusion of the demonstration afternoon tea was provided by Mrs I*- 1 EgMr E., Freeman, president of the fruitgrowers' Association, moved a vote of t' ia °ks to Mr King and Mr Paynter. and said that they were especially indebted to Mr Paynter, who sacrificed his half-holiday to give these demonstrations. air Freeman also included in his motion a vote of thanks to "The Press" reporter, and said _ that as fruitgrowers they all appreciated the interest taken by "The Press" in all maUers of interest to them. The votes of tiiankj were accorded by acclamation. Mr Kin? said that it was a pleasure to him to place his orchard at the disposal ot fruitgrowers for these demonstrations. On the present occasion that pleasure would have been greater if there had been a larger attendance. If they followed Mr Paynter's instructions they would not go far wrong. His orchard had been started on lines similar to those advocated by Mr Paynter, and he (Mr King) had kept pretty close to them, with the result that last season he took an average of nine cases off each peach tree. ■ On the. motion of Mr F. W. Cone a yoto of thanks was accorded Mrs King and her assistants for the enjoyable afternoon tea provided.