H—29.

The Loder Cup for 1939 was awarded to Mr. William Alexander Thomson, of Dunedin, for his outstanding work in the cultivation and preservation of the New Zealand flora. This cup was presented by the late Lord Wakehurst (Gerald W. E. Loder, Esquire, Sussex, England) for the purpose of encouraging the protection and cultivation of the incomparable flora of the Dominion, and was first competed for in 1929. Centennial Exhibition. An outstanding feature of the year has been the Centennial Exhibition commemorating the completion of one hundred years of settlement in New Zealand. The Division co-operated in connection with the departmental exhibit in the Government Court, and the work of the Division was represented by a diorama brightly illustrating fruit-production and an automatic projector throwing up on an illustrated screen pictures and text supplying information on the progress made in the various branches of horticulture. At the end of January a Horticulture Week was held, and a National Flower Show staged in the Assembly Hall under the Exhibition tower was an unqualified success. The show was exceedingly well patronized, and the wonderful display of flowers was the subject of much favourable comment. Registration and Inspection of Nurseries. Close attention has been given to the inspection of nursuries in which prescribed plants, as set out in the regulations relating to the registration of nurseries, are raised for sale. Reports to hand indicate that the majority of the nurseries in the Dominion are kept in good order and condition, and the stock raised is well up to standard and free from disease. In instances where it has been found that disease exists steps have immediately been taken for its control. Nurserymen experienced a somewhat difficult season in the raising of plants, owing to continued wet conditions in the spring, and this also had the effect of the public holding off buying plants until the conditions improved. A total of 582 nurseries located in different parts of the Dominion were registered during the year and certificates of registration issued, the registration fees amounting to £582. This shows an additional 48 nurseries as compared with the number registered last year. Orchard Registration and Orchard-tax. The total number of registered orchards in the Dominion (orchards from which fruit is sold) is 4,639, comprising 2,422 taxable and 2,217 non-taxable. Changes in ownership and alterations in areas—either by increase or decrease—necessitated a considerable number of fresh registrations and reallotting of registered numbers. The total amount of orchard-tax payable for the year, which applies to orchards containing 120 trees and over from which fruit is sold, was approximately £2,074 inclusive of penalty for late payment. The tax is not what might be termed a Government tax, but is levied on fruitgrowers at their own request in the interests of the fruit industry generally. A portion of the tax collected is paid to the New Zealand Fruitgrowers' Federation, Ltd. (less cost of collection), and the balance to the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research to assist in the carrying-out of research work relative to the many problems connected with fruitgrowing. In view of the fact that fireblight disease is now being kept well under control, no fresh outbreaks having occurred during the year, the collection of fireblight-tax only applied to the Gisborne commercial fruitgrowing district. The Beekeeping Industry. The 1939-40 honey season, generally speaking was a satisfactory one, good crops being obtained in all the commercial beekeeping areas with the exception of Canterbury and Otago, where unfavourable weather conditions spoilt what otherwise promised to be a record season and resulting in the crop being below the average. Exceptionally good returns were obtained in the Hawke's Bay and Gisborne districts. The results taken as a whole were therefore very encouraging to beekeepers, especially in view of the fact that the previous season had been a poor one. Inspection of apiaries for the control of diseases has been steadily maintained, and in order to assist the Apiary Instructors in the carrying-out of this work in their respective districts a number of part-time inspectors were appointed for certain periods during the spring and summer months. This arrangement has given satisfactory results, and has enabled a closer inspection to be made than has hitherto been possible in the large districts allotted the Instructors. If brought into operation again next year the assistance given should go a long way in the cleaning-up of any diseased apiaries existing. Considerable interest is still being maintained in beekeeping operations, and the demand for new apiary-sites continues. The fairly extensive areas being sown down in permanent pasture each year is to a certain extent meeting the demand for new territory. The numerous requests received during the year for information and advice on various matters connected with beekeeping have been given full and prompt attention by the Apiary Instructors not only in regard to those persons desirous of making a start in the industry, but established beekeepers have also been assisted in dealing with problems that have arisen from time to time. The requirements of the regulations in respect to the removal of bees and bee material from one locality to another have been carefully watched, and permits issued where such apiaries are pronounced clean and free from disease.

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