Horowhenua Fruit Growers Association.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 19 May 1915, Page 3

Horowhenua Fruit Growers Association.

The nu'uitlily meeting oi. the above.j AssueiaL.Lii w as lic'ld nr Jlr D .j S-llUil't s rooiiis last i iiday •eveixmg: - A . were pieseiit: Jle.'ssi'S J. C. -Neiil (cha^r- - man), <J. Itockell, H.' Haneox;..S.filling, A. Kennedy, £t. Bower, Jc Dean, ? jfi/ 31.'' Merrfck, D. Smaa't,'- G-. lvelly nfld""the orchaid « inspector XAi'r • Pierce. ' A letter' vVas "reOßived from •Mr H. Leger stating that he uould .giv-e all, the assistance possible to the Association in" its campaign against the small birds! ' Letters I'iioni the'"New Zealand Friiit-' growers' Federation regarding tiie petition to' the'Prinic Minister rc giving c . c„ to the recommendations -of thoconferenco, the qucstioif of retainingthe duty'on LliO l'rilitj and tiie quality ol l'ruit likely to be held in the district (particuhu's^.of,.which matters already have appeared in the Ciironicle) Were -•".». ... rwae. received • fi'oiti the Horo'.vhejiiitr A. and P. Society that Messrs, and Jfi. ,M. riek had been :#ppoiiited . to .attend, oil behalf of tho Society, tho conference re tho small biid pest to ; be held on 21st May. Th'e-' naiii'es of ; the ■ delegates (already publisfod"- in r -different' 'xcporte in ~the Chronicle/ fixim fclio otlief?'local bodies to the-conference were received-.also. The chairman proposed ■ that' the-Jol-ioiving- leComm'endations- be . submitted by the Association to the conference re tlie small biiii pest: (l) v That tho Horowhenua County Council be asked i& , )Say' (3d per dozen for blackbirds' eggs and 4d per dozen for other small birds' eggs, an increase, of 50 percent 'in 'the present prioes; (2) thatblackbirds' linnets' spai'i'ote, sdlvei' eyes' and finches' heads oe paid"for at the rate of (id per dozen; (3) that tho Otaki Town Board and the Levin Borough Council be asked-to pay for small birds' heads and eggs "at the same prices; that the second week in August of each year be fixed as an antibird week' and during that week a vigOi'diis" campaign against tho pest 'be carried "out; (5) that a voluntary fund be'"' faised on the basis ot Id per acre for general farmers, 2s per acre for each acre of bicliard and 2s lor every- 100' head of poultry be raised to doit 1 with' the pest ! ; (6) -that the Uover'nment beasked to remove the-' present prbteCti'on given to Californian quail and hares. Tho recommendations ..were agreed to. A paper dealing with the raising and harvesting of crops on smair areas'was < read by Mr Herrick. , A hearty vote of thanks was passed ] to Mr Herrick for his a bio and instrue- ; tive paper. | About forty different varieties of ap- ; pies wereexhibted for the naming com- J petition, but very few attempted to > deal with them, and it was left to Mr j Pierce to name most, though ho cttuld | not identify all of 'them. Mr Pierce gave a most instructive address on the different varieties, explaining their qualities and ways of pruning i He advised in the selection of apples for.planting, to put flavour first and not sacrifice it to colour alone. Among the varieties which lie considered would do well in this district ware Baffarat. Cleopatra, Jonathan, Ohinemuri and ..Stunner.. At the conclusion he answered several questions relating to orchard work and stated that in July, m Levin, he would give an address on the manufacture and application of various sprays. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr Pierce for his. address and a wish that he would be present at future meetings of the association was unanimous. A meeting was held in Levin last evening to form a Women's First Aid Claw in connection with St .John's Ambulance Association. Mrs Gardener took the chair and Mrs Herrick was ; chosen secretary and. treasurer. Tho class meets every Monday evening at 7.30 in Miss Gardner's .studio. The eubscritpiou was fixed at L's 6d. Twentynine ladies joined and the class, .which is still open for membership, -begins on May 24. Dr Davies has. kindly consented to give a series of leotuVes on alternate Mondays which it is most important every member should attend. Miss Cork proposed a vote of thanks to tlie Mayoress lor presiding, and also to Miss Gardner t'or the use of her studio, and the meeting terminated.