Report of the Principal of the School of Horticulture. 883 



The audiences addressed in countrv districts total for the year 

 2,600. 



Position of the Producer. 



The fruit industry has been unpopular — more so than any other 

 branch of farming — for a considerable number of years. This does not 

 arise from any inherent defect in the fruit, the country, or the markets, 

 but rather from an irregular and one-sided system of production ; and 

 in order to have the industry permanent, profitable, and open to a 

 considerable number, it must not be regarded as independent of 

 other vegetable and animal productions. Making due allowance 

 for the existence of orchards in all parts of the State, and for the 

 fact that a very small proportion of our territory is naturally and 

 permanently rich enough to maintain profitable trees, it follows that 

 in all open and comparatively poor regions orcharding if carried on, 

 should always be associated with pig or dairy farming or both, in 

 order to secure an abundant supply of bulk manure. Most fruit 

 trees fail through needing a deeper and richer soil. Chemical 

 manures cannot add to the depth, drainage or condition of the soil. 

 They do not affect tem})erature or tend to increase or retain moisture, 

 hence they may not be relied on to give permanence to soils or the 

 fruit industry in a warm climate. Even where irrigation is practised 

 chemical manures are not all sufficient, and though one takes a risk 

 in making these assertions, they must be made and insisted upon, as 

 they can easily be proved if we are to start -fair, and continue in a 

 fair way. 



With rare exceptions we have no occasion to withdraw absolutely 

 from any tree-planted areas, but we should, and that quickly, add 

 animal to that of fruit production. 



A properly fed and Ijedded pig makes five tons of manure a year. 

 Every acre of trees in the country needs on an average five tons of 

 bulk manure each year. The gain in fruit and bacon makes the land 

 and its owner richer from year to year. The markets are glutted 

 with inferior fruit which tends to bring down the price of the good. 

 With better soil, better fruit with finer keeping and selling qualities 

 will result. With animals as a means of disposing of all inferior 

 fruit, the growing of fodder crops, and the produce and refuse from a 

 cow or two, there is more than enough for the orchardist and the 

 orchard. It must be repeated that as State teachers we must insist 

 on animals being made a substantial factor in fruit production, 

 wherever chemical manures are incapable of furnishing sufficient 

 vitalitv to the soil. 



