H.—29

29

(10.) Viticulture and winemaking : Giving advice on the growing of grapes, both outdoor and under glass, the control of pests and diseases, and on the making of wines. (II.) Affording information on beekeeping generally, and the production of honey for market. (12.) Inspection of apiaries, and instruction in up-to-date methods of controlling disease. (13.) Grading of honey for export; registration of honey-export brands. (14.) Registration of apiaries. Fruitckowinc Industry. The fruit season has been rather an unusual one. Particularly late frosts were experienced in some districts, while the climatic conditions in the spring were very favourable for'the, development of black-spot. Later on the conditions improved, so much so that the losses from brown-rot in stone fruits were very much less than last year. The crops were on the light side, but prices on the whole were good. Owing to shortage of labour the area planted in new orchards during the year was less than in previous years. The total area now in fruit throughout the Dominion is estimated at 50,192 acres. The following figures show th" area planted during the 1918 planting season : Whangarei, 25 acres ; North Auckland, 125 acres ; South Auckland, 10 acres ; Poverty Bay, 14 acres ; Waikato and Bay of Plenty, 8 acres ; Hawke's Bay, 30 acres ; Taranaki, 10 acres ; Manawatu and Wairarapa, 35 acres; Nelson, 200 acres ; North Canterbury, 75 acres ; South Canterbury, 5 acres : total, 537 acres.

Summary showing Number of Acres planted in Orchards in each Provincial District since 1911.

The advice and assistance given to fruitgrowers and soldiers by the officers of the Division is much appreciated, as is evidenced by the large number of requests that are received for lectures, demonstrations, and personal instruction. The Orchard Instructors, besides enforcing the provisions of the Orchard and Garden Diseases Act, are actively engaged in the following work : Giving instruction in fruit-production, suitable varieties of fruit, planting, and the practical control of insect pests and diseases ; the inspection of nurseries; holding'public demonstrations in pruning and spraying fruit-trees; and the grading and packing of fruit. The work of the Horticulturist to the Division is greatly valued, and besides embracing correspondence dealing with all branches of horticultural work it covers a wide field, such as the naming of specimens of fruits, plants, weeds, grasses, flowers, and identifying insects and plant-diseases (in eases not dealt with by the Biologist). ' Export of Fruit. Owing to the war no fruit was exported during the year under review, It is hoped that arrangements will be made for regular shipments next season, as with the large number of new orchards coming into bearing, combined with a normal season, there will be more fruit than the local market can absorb. The crops this year have been below the average, and with the increased cool storage provided by means of the Fruit-preserving Industry Act the local market has been able to cope with the supply. This is not likely to be the case next season with anything like an average crop. Regulations dealing with the export of fruit have been prepared and will be gazetted in time to deal with the export next season. The following figures show the number of cases of fruit exported in each export season up to 1916, when exporting ceased : 1908, 1,236 ; 1909, 191 ; 1910, 5,647 ; 19.1.1, 6,031 ; 19.12, 1.4,869 ; 1913,33,000; 1914/67,964; 1915,62,164; 1916,19,240. Fruit-markets. The season was a particularly difficult one for the control of black-spot. A concession was made (his season and fruit infected with, this disease allowed to go under permit direct from the orchard to the by-product factories. This has certainly brightened the sample on the markets. The same standard, of inspection exists throughout the main centres of the Dominion. It was apparent that growers had not taken such systematic measures this season to keep the diseases under control, no doubt owing to light crops. However, on the whole, the sample of fruit has been bright and well packed. It was found necessary to condemn a number of consignments badly infected with disease.

District. Auckland Hawke's Bay . . Taianaki Wellington .Marlborough . . Nelson Canterbury Otago Total Acreage, 1911. 12,106 2,425 998 3,763 563 5,474 4,313 4,312 1912 1913 1914 1916 Increase. Increase. Increase, Increase. I 318 335 ; 513 800 130 I 120 | 150 150 60 40 ! 23 5 75 105 ' 101 63 40 50 312 180 1,098 1,055 , 1,550 1.577 280 320 ; 303 213 360 i 500 i 350 600 1916 Increase. 395 75 5 60 100 1,325 130 300 . 1917 ! 1918 Granl I Increase, f IncroaHC , ' in , ' 425 ' 182 15,074 60 30 3,140 10 10 1.151 40 35 4,242 100 .. 1,345 400 200 i 12,679 300 80 , 5,939 200 .. 6,622 1,535 537 50,192 Totals 33,954 2,361 2,525 : 3,302 3,588 2,390 i ; !