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HORTICULTURE DIVISION REPORT OF A. M. W. GREIG, DIRECTOR Reorganization of Work To enable it to play an even more efficient part in the more certain future of assured returns for certain products, such, as apples, pears, and lemons, the Horticulture Division has been reorganized during the past year. The principal change has been a complete separation of the inspectorial and advisory services in practically all districts, the two phases of work being co-ordinated at the administrative level. The administrative section consists of a Director and Assistant Director in Wellington and four superintendents stationed in Auckland, Palmerston North, Nelson, and Dunedin. The inspectorial staff consists of thirty-eight Horticultural Inspectors in the districts and a Principal Horticultural Inspector in Wellington. The thirty-three advisory officers stationed throughout the Dominion and known as Orchard, Vegetable, or Horticultural Instructors in future will concentrate on advisory work alone. During the past year advisory officers in horticulture gave 197 public addresses and radio broadcasts, organized 134 field-days and demonstrations, and wrote 62 articles which were published in The Journal of Agriculture. Apiary Instructors delivered 115 addresses, organized 28 field-days, and had 13 articles published in the Journal. To assemble and condense the vast amount of horticultural literature now available,, to keep in close touch with research stations, to study economic problems, and to maintain liaison with marketing organizations, thirteen specialist officers are being appointed to concentrate on different branches of horticulture. These men, some of whom have arrived from overseas, will include specialists in pip, stone, berry, and citrus fruits, grapes, vegetables, and general horticulture. In addition seven horticultural cadets are attending University full time under a bursary scheme studying the B.Sc. course. When they have completed their academic courses these officers will have a three-year practical course before becoming qualified Horticultural Instructors. In 1949 staff-training courses for Orchard and Vegetable Instructors and Horticultural Inspectors were held at Auckland, Palmerston North, and Christchurch. At these courses lectures and demonstrations were given by specialists on many phases of practical and theoretical horticulture and by controlling and other officers on the organization and administration of the Horticulture Division. In addition officers visited nearby research stations and colleges. An endeavour is being made to reduce the number of statistical returns from producers and divisional officers, to encourage decentralization, and to maintain uniform interpretation of grading standards and administrative actions. Pip-fruits (Apple, Pear, and Quince) In general the weather was favourable during the period in which the 1949 pip-fruit crop matured and was harvested. In the second half of the year heavy spring frosts caused fairly severe damage in Hawke's Bay to the 1950 pear crop and minor damage to apples. Pip-fruits in this district suffered further damage early in October during a hailstorm of record severity, a number of orchards losing a portion of their crop and fruit in many others receiving varying degrees of injury. The apple and pear crop in Central Otago was seriously reduced by a heavy frost on Bth November, apples being affected to a greater extent than pears.

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