FUMIGATION. 163 



and the offer of assistance in getting the covers made. Mention of a 

 large outfit made up for the Natal Government is made elsewhere. 



Management of Outfits. — The airangements for the management of 

 the different co-operative outfits vary widely, a circumstance for which 

 this office is in large part responsible, for it was considered desirable to 

 ascertain by experiment which of the various plans that suggest them- 

 selves prove best in practice. At Puarl and Stellenbosch, the outfits 

 are owned by the local fruit-growers' associations and are in charge of 

 managers with whom it is stipulated that orchards be properly treated 

 at a fixed tariff, and that a fraction — one-third or one-fourth — of the 

 gross proceeds be given to the association, the remainder being retained 

 as remuneration and to pay for chemicals and labour ; the charges to 

 the general public are slightly more than to members of the association. 

 The Kei-road, Ncera, and Van Staadens outfits are owned by small 

 clubs, the members of which subscribed the initial costs and, in return, 

 have free use of the apparatus. Outsiders pay Sixpence a tree treated 

 for the hire of the outfit, and both members and non-members pay the 

 cost of the chemicals used and for the services of the manager. The 

 members of the Cathcart club contribute One shilling for each tree 

 they desire to treat, to cover outfit expenses, and pay for the chemicals 

 at cost. They altogether dispense with management expenses, each 

 farmer attending to the treatment of his own trees after receiving 

 instruction in the use of the apparatus from the honorary secretary of 

 the club, a medical practitioner. This plan has thus far been the least 

 satisfactory of the several described, a paid manager seemingly being 

 a necessity. The Trappes Valley people raised the initial fund by a 

 subscription list. They pay a manager Twelve pounds a mouth, and 

 treat trees at a charge which covers the cost and allows for a renewal 

 of the outfit (see appendix). The subscribers had the first use of the 

 apparatus, but have had no other advantage over outsiders. Oudtshoorn 

 has the most business-like ariangement. The whole fumigation plant 

 is the property of the fruit-growers' association, and was paid for by 

 the membership fees. Members' trees only are treated, but residents 

 of the district may easily become membeis. The trees are treated at 

 tarifi" rates and, while these are high, there is no cause for complaint, 

 since any surplus over expenses is association property. The manager 

 is paid Twelve pounds a month, and is allowed a saddle horse. 



All of the clubs depend upon the farmers for the transport of the 

 apparatus to or from their orchards. The Oudtshoorn association owns 

 a special waggon, but with this exception the clubs depend on the 

 farmers for both vehicle and draught animals. Except at Oudtshoorn, 

 dependence is also placed on the farmers for two or more boys to help 

 with the work, and in several cases he is required to board and lodge 

 the manager without charge. 



Cloth for Fvmivgto7i Covers. — The covers for the early outfits were 

 made of eight or ten ounce American cotton duck of the best quality, 

 and were lightly coated with a mixture of one part turpentine to four 



