ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2621, 31 August 1882, Page 3

ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

A meeting of the Council of the above society was held at the Commercial Hotel at 330 yesterday. Present Messrs John Marshman (in the chair), Boys, Bridges, H. B, Webb, F. J. Kimbell, Drs Brittin and Frankish, and Mr S. O. Farr, hon, seo. Accounts amounting to £8 3i were passed for payment. The Secretary reported that fees received during the past month amounted to £22 10s. Mr F. Polhill, of Lake Heron, near Ash-

burton, wrote, asking for permission to net the large trout in that lake. After some discussion it was resolved that Messrs Bridges and Farr bo appointed to look up the Act to see whether the application can be allowed. Mr J. O. Firth, of Auckland, wrote, stating that he had forwarded a small parcel of cranberry plants to the secretary of the society. The Secretary stated he had received the parcel, which was sent to Mr Firth by Mr Creighton, of Ban Francisco, that he had banded them over to Mr Abbott, of the Exeter Nursery, Papanui road, who had cut them up and planted the slips, the trees so produced to be the property of the society. The action of the secretary was approved. The Secretary stated that Mr Dobson, of White Rook, had been duly gazetted as ranger of that district. The secretary of the Gisborne Aoolimatisa-

tion Society wrote, ordering 4000 young trout, stating farther that Mr Penfold, who would shortly leave Canterbury for Gisborne, would take charge of the fish. The price to be charged was 15s per 100. Mr Beelham, of Masterton, wrote staling that the trout ova recently received were hatching out well; also, that salmon had been seen in the Hutt.

An application of Mr MoKie, of Invercargill, for some of the cranberry plants was ordered to stand over till it was seen if the trees would propagate. Mr R, J. Creighton, of San Francisco, wrote the secretary as follows : I am in receipt of your favor of June 16th, and beg to state that I have sent to your address a 501 b bag of white corn, used here as food (cooked in green state) before it ripens. It shonld seed about five acres as I am informed by the seedsman. It goes in charge of the mail agent, whom I have requested to see that it is duly forwarded. I hope it will arrive safely and succeed, Thera is no Chilian pine seed to be had at the seed shops. I doubt very much if we can procure it in this state at all, but I wid write to other sections, and do my best. I have not received a reply to a query about the bees from the beekeeper to whom I have written ; when Ido I shall enclose it to yon. I have no doubt a remedy can bo found for “foul brood ” Last mail I sent anoff-r through Judge Gillies to the Government of from 600 to 700 swarms of Ligurian bees, with 2000 gallons of honey, a quantity of wax, and complete apparatus for the bee industry. I thought the Government might advance the purchase money, and let the bees be distributed by the Christchurch and Auckland A cclimatisation Societies to settler. 3, who would pay a price sufficient to recoup the Treasury. The bees are in Tahiti, and would be shipped direct thence. They are the property of a German, who is re turning to Europe, owing to ill-health, and 1 induced him to submit a proposal to the colony before taking other steps to dispose of them. I was pressed for time, or I would have written to you about it. but I requested Judge Gillies to communicate to your society should that of Auckland agree to act in the manner I have suggested. The total expenditure would not exceed £750 landed in the colony, which would allow £IOO for expenses of shipment, and sending aa agent to take care of the hives on the sea. Since then I have seen Mr Firth, jun., of Auckland, who says that his father would buy 1000 hives for his Waikato property. I don't well see how he could gat such a number down by steamer, and the voyage by sailing vessel would be exceedingly tedious compared with that from Tahiti; this has been a very bad bae season here. I have no doubt your prairie chickens are all right; they are very shy, and if food is abundant, will not come near settlement. I cannot imagine what could have destroyed them. I have to apologise for not writing a reply to your previous letter, but I was disappointed about the humble bees, and deferred in hopes of being able to do better th a season. Although advertising through an agricultural papsr, I have not yet succeeded. They are not in the Southern section of the Stato, which is the bee country. I will send Easterbrook trout and McCloud river trout ova this winter, having arranged for an early consignment from the ponds. The latter is the finest treut in America.

It is too early for Californian grape vine seed. I v ill send yon a parcel, as resistant stock yon cannot have too many. The young plants should bo set out where they are to grow, about a year old. For grafting upon they should be at least three years old. Mr W. Arthur, of Invercargill, wrote respecting the salmon fonnd in the Waimakariri, and also hoped joint action would be taken to put a stop to shooting on Sundays. The Secretary reported what he had done re the Fisheries Bill at Wellington, as the representative of the North and South Canterbury and Otago Acclimatisation Societies, which met with approval. Mr Shury, of Ashburton, wrote, stating that a salmon weighing 271 b had been taken in the south branch of the river Ashburton.

Dr. Frankish reported that tront were plentiful in the Little Biver streams. It was agreed to liberate young trout in the Selwyn, Heathcote, and Ashburton rivers; also to send 1000 to be placed in the stream at Castle Hill (Mr J. D. Boys’ estate), also 500 to Mr H. Walkden, Highfield, Waian. Tho Council then adjourned.