TARANAKI NURSERYMEN.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 September 1920, Page 2

TARANAKI NURSERYMEN.

MEETING IN STRATFORD. I I A special meeting of the TarannW Nurserymen's Council was held in Stratford on Friday last, to meet Mr. George A. Green, secretary of the New Zealand Association of Nurserjimen, who gave an address covering the main portions of 1:1b recent lecture to fruit-growers, which he has discussed before the leading fruit organisations of the Dominion. . The meeting was thoroughly representative. Sir. V. C. Davies, of New Plymouth, North Island Vice-President, and President of the Taranakl Council, presided. Mr. Green dealt at length with the value Of the nursery profession to tiro Dominion as a whole and the interdependence of the nursery and fruit industries. He paid a warm tribute to the pioneer nurserymen," whose ideals were high, and to whom we to-day owed ao much. The men of the present wero worthy sons of worthy fathers, their motto being "better service." To this end they now organised, and the record or tte last ten years included a varieties conference formed by the Government, representing nurserymen, orchardists, and the Department of Agriculture. This had resulted in poor and unworthy varieties being cut out. Inspection and registration of nurseries and grading of commercial Fruit trees had also been secured by the A' -ociatlon, whose programme Included • a Horticultural Industrial BUI, covering a school of Dominion Horticulture, a Penological Board, and Protection of the Hybridist, also a Bud Selection. Association, with a view of securing trees true to name and true to the Ideal type. . Reference was made to the action of the executive of the Federation of Fruit Growers over the embargo on Imported trees, and to the statement that had been made of the Impurity of trees of local growth supplied to Otago growers. This matter had been Investigated at the instruction of both nurserymen and fruitgrowers, and the result was published in a report of Messrs. Thorp and Cunningham, of tte Horticultural Division. Mr. Green outlined the policy of the Association, which Included the appointment of t Dominion Organiser to assist in realising (he alms and Mijects for which the Association stood; also of the creation of the Bud Selection Association. The address was followed by considerable ! discussion, in whiolf Messrs. Morrison, Mills, I Moss and Pettigrew took part. At the con- ! elusion tte following resolutions were carried, I namely: (1) That this meeting of the Taranakl Nurserymen's Council heartily supports the suggestion to appoint ft Dominion organiser. , (2) That in the opinion of this Council the Varieties Conference should be held usually In the month of January, and that Us scope should be widened. (S) That tUs Council learns with pleasure that the Minister is considering favorably the matter of compensation to nurserymen through losses entailed by the firo blight quarantine, and respectfully urges that the same be on a liberal scale, as the losses have been severe and costly, and owing to no fault of the nurserymen Involved. (4) That this meeting supports the action of tte executive In arranging for Mr. Green to meet the fruitgrowers and set before them the true facts of this embargo and the aurserymcn's attitude to the same. j(5) That this Council gives its most hearty support to the suggested Bud- Selection Association, and begs to suggest to the executive that the word ''seed" be added, (making Bud and Seed Selection Association.