A VISIT TO WAERENGA.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 3, Issue 213, 17 July 1914, Page 1

A VISIT TO WAERENGA.

By The Farmers' Class

A party of eleven, including Mr Donnan, the instructor, visited the Watrerga fruit farm on Friday, the 10th ir,st. Although none ot the partv were practical orchardists, most of them cul ivate a few truit trets for domestic use; fo that the kcturi on pruning delivered in the Technical cla-s in conjumtion with tne visit to the Slate faim gave the students a gcod insight into the ordinary management of an orchard.

On arrival at the farm the members of the class were introduced to Mr Shcppherd the man ger, and, after leavirg clcaka and umorellaa in the cloak ro.m, were conducted to the nursery. Bere they spent one and a-half houra before dinner time, Mr Donnan describing and illustratirg the various processes of rcot grafting, cleft grafting, budding, etc. He also showed them the proper way to prepare the roots ct a fruit tree after it was removed frum the nurfery bed and before it was planted out. In the nursery the members of the party also had an opportunity of viewing many interesting experiments id various kinds of g'as cs, oats and lucerne. By this time the luncheon bell hsd rung and the party adjourned to the large dining hall for dinner. Fcr about twenty minutts conversation lapsed, and the ring of kiivea and forks was the only music that filled the air. At the conclusion the whole party were unanimous that the Waerenga farm had at least one expert, and that the chef was a past-maeter in the culinary art. After dinner the manager conducted the party to the experim2ntal ground, where about two hundred varieties of fruit trees are beinx tested. Those that prove a commercial success are th:n planted in the fruit farms that have been sold from time to time during recent years. In response to a querv the manager slated that in nearly every instance those who had taken up thtse fs»rms were making a commercial success of thtm. The vineyard was next viaittd. The spraying shed* where the various kinds of spray are mixed in large vats, came next under ob3ervatirn as it is in one corner of the vineyard. Here a power sprayer was started to illustrati how it worked; and a grafting machine was also to be seen in one corner. A new kind of Greechu bird line Was next explained by the manager. It is one of the beet methods the visitors had seen for d.aling with the email bi.ds nuisance. Ihe various kinds of shelter b:lis and hedges weie vkwed and caused a good deal of discussion amorgst the members of the rarty. A visit to the ct liar was paid and the various prccesses of wine making were discussed. Here were to be seen, preserved in spirits, various specimens of the diseases that attack truit trees. Earlier in the day the party inapt cted the various meteorological instruments. In conclusion, a very enjoyable and instructive day was spent by every member of the class ar.d before leaving to catch the train, Mr J. Flanagan, on behalf of the class, thanked the manager, Mr Sheppherd, fut his kindness and courtesy in conducting trnm around the farm, while Mr Donnan, the instructor, alsu was included in the vote of thanks. This, on being put, was carried by acclamation.