HORTICULTURE

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 22, 27 January 1938, Page 10

HORTICULTURE

SCOPE IN INDUSTRY

VALUE OF APPLIED SCIENCE

(S^pocial to tho "Evoninn Post.") ; CHRISTCHUHCH, This Day.

I "Sconce and technology have already nosed their way into horticultural '.'industries at many points, and they si;em likely to penetrate further as tim<!' goes on," said Mr. F. S. Pope, preside nt. of the New Zealand Institute off Horticulture, when opening the annual' conference of the institute at Christdhurch today.

"Altfiiough it cannot be taken for granted, that each one of these developments means improvement, there I can, I think, be little or no doubt '.that horticulture as a whole is benefiting by the help and guidance i% is r&ceiving in this way," he said. "Muchj of the credit for this kind of help aiad guidance belongs, as far as hortici<tture in ,New Zealand is concerned; to the Departments of Agriculture aiad of Industries and Commerce, and to;;the Cawthron Institute. In this connection gratitude is due to the Government for having arranged fpr Mr. L. W. I'iller.-of the latter Department, to spemd recently a considerable time in England familiarising himself with all the i latest scientific and market information affecting the orchardist. His report, jjust issued, on the prospects of introducing into New Zealand the manufacture of uriSermented fruit juice, especially apple juice, is very valuable in view of the phenomenal success -i lately of such products in Europe,- 'and^is an instance of how his added Knowledge may benefit the Dominion. -

I "The incursion of science into horticulture M calls first for sympathetic understai lding, and in some instances a measus c of self-sacrifice, on the part of some} older and more experienced men in'the business, and also because it. makes clearer than ever the need for a soijad general education, in addition to. «i thorough vocational training' for those who will have to take charge qf the v industry in days; to come. It, jis easy to appreciate that a man in irrißdle age or older and who' is recoghiseia: a skilful and successful orchardist,; 'nurseryman, vigneron, or market gardener will not find it easy to understand and adopt new methods of working;' perhaps with materials whose very names are strange to.him, Let me Appeal to such men of skilland expei :ience to take a wide view of the situation, and. if they cannot adapt themselves to new ways, to abstain a|t least from blocking the progress <!»f those who can.

"There ?Is at present much cause for gratificatifont that the examinations conducted bjr the institute under the authority of fchi; Institute of Horticulture Act, 192?, < are being increasingly, availed oR by the younger" generation of those ■#orking in the industry, and that in minst of the centres of population- there i|are now available the means of obtainmjgthe theoretical instruction, and, to son),e extent, the practical training, required by those studying with a view to, parsing these examinations."