NURSERYMEN CONFER

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2674, 21 January 1916, Page 3

NURSERYMEN CONFER

YESTERDAY'S PROCEEDINGS 'AGAINST-STATE COMPETITION i Tho- delegates to the annual conference of tile New Zealand Nurserymen's Association met again yestel'day at the Chamber of Commerce. Mr. T. Horton, the president of the associatiou, occupied the chair. The president said that at Duncdin, Auckland, Christchurch, and Wellington resolutions had been passed by the district. councils protesting against the' lands Department entering into com:betition with the nurserymen. Some years Ego the Department issued a catalogueof fruit and other trees which they offered to the public at prices . which were ridiculously low. in fact, it was considered that these prices were really below the cost of production. A sum of 6s. only was, ho believed, charged per dozen for two and three-year-old trees. As a result of representations made to the Government these catalogues were withdrawn; and a promise was made that the Department would not again enter into competition with the nurserymen. Much as they were . in favour of the policy of planting waste lands with trees likely to be suitable for timber, they felt, that an injustice was being don 9 to the trade by the Department supplying the fanners with trees at what was called cost price. He Department had sold grape . vines raised on phylloxeras-resisting stock at £1 per hundred. This was said to be the cost of production, but the price was subsequently raised to £2. The Government should not dispose of trees at below the minimum price the nurserymen could sell at. He moved that the ' oonference emphatically protest against the action of the Government in selling trees at cost price, and that a. deputation wait on the Minister of Lands and the Prime Minister in connection with the matter. Mr. G. A.' Green, in seconding the motion, said that a protest made to the Government in Juno last had not been successful, the contention being that it was necessary that the poor farmers should have these trees at cost price. Another delegate rejoined that the •farmer was well able to pay the fair market price which the industry was entitled to look for in return for its labours. _ The motion 1 was then-carried Tmanim' busly. ; Next Conference. -

It was decided that the next annual •'conference of the association should be held in Wellington, the president remarking in commending the decision that it was aitadvantage at the present stage of the association's history to meet at the capital, whore the heads of Departments could he easily interviewed in connection with the work of the association. -. The Value of Quality. The, president, in. the course ,of a ,Short,'address," said that the nurseryjmen's industry was only in its infancy. jThey could ' produce' and 6'upply most •of the stock required, the lines being only infinitesimal, which they would require to import.. Their stock'compared" 'very_favourably) with what he had seen, in different countries' he had' visited. ; ,-Tfcoy oxcelled in fruit trees, and in roses \tt-ey were not ono bit behind. There ,were men .'in. v the', Dominion- who imported novelties; practically regardless of obst. The,v increases in the price of land, material, and labour had raised tbo cost of production, and tließtime was coming- when seedsmen and-nursery-i men would have, to consider whether they should not follow the example, of iother employers and pass the extra cost W to the public. Hitherto the. employers had the burden, but at was getting;'too Svonld_ soon go down .under the' load. Combination must surely help them. 'It rtvas vitally' import-ant that they , should organise. Every manV-in the. trade should come in, and they should stalid or fall together. The average buyer wanted quality,, and the nurseryman tvho had. a reputation '-.for high-class could get higher prices. If they devoted their attention to producing (improved stock rather than to'getting business, they would not require to ■worry about prices for good stock and stimulate the . demand. .. They should make an effort to grow, better stock, even if they grew less. It would be Obetter.to .be known as the best nurseryman rather than the largest. Quality always counted, and the man who strove year after year to supply only ithe best was going , to be the winner tin the end. (Applause.) In the conrse of a few words of practical advice the president warned those tvlio contemplated planting apples of the risk of planting too many of the very la±o varieties for the northern iEnropean market. I

Too Many Varieties. The question of reducing the number of varieties of fruit trees was discussed in a paper read by Mr. D. Hay. He said that the co-operation of the Government and the Department of Agriculture should bo enlisted in tho task of making the best possible selection. The necessity of reducing the number or varieties in; fruit and roses must he apparent. Among the other advantages which would result would be the expense of cataloguing would be curtailed, and the confusion caused in the public mind ■by the multiplicity of names would disappear. .The president said that the bewildering number of varieties offering often led to mistakes in planting orchards, selections being made which were unsuited to the land. Half-a-dozen varieties was quite enough for any one orchard.

Mr. Campbell (Department of Agriculture) said confusion had arisen from tho number of varieties of apples planted. The Department had made a list of about fifteen'varieties which-would be suitable for both islands. Thoy must look to the future export trade and avoid the mistake, of producing varieties which would flood the market. . '

Mr. T. W. Kirk (Government Biologist) said the list had been ;drawn up by the orchard instructors,, and would be published sbort-ly in the Department's journal. Mr. E. Hale thought that the selection of varieties of roses, dahlias, etc., should be left to the discretion of the nurserymen themselves, as people would persist in going in for new varieties. It was, however, advisable'to cut down the list of appbs. Mr. G. A. Green said fifteen varieties oould be selected as sufficient for export purposes. He moved that representatives of the Fruitgrowers' Conference, the Orchard Instructors, and the Nurserymen's Association should confer on the question. Mr. Hay seconded the motion, which was- agreed to. The business of the .conference was brought to. a close with the usual votes of thanks. Votes of thanks were, passed to His Worship the Mayor for placing the observation car at the disposal of the executive of the conference, to Mr. Glen, Superintendent of Reserves, to the officers of_ the Department of Agriculture, especially Messrs. Pope, Kirk, and i Campbell, and to the retiring president and officers.