80 GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE 
destroyed as being infected. Those which are found free 
from infection are severely fumigated before being sent 
on to their destinations. These measures are applied to 
nursery stock brought into British Columbia from other 
provinces of the Dominion equally as to nursery stock 
which is imported from the United States and elsewhere. 
Packrne ScHoois.—Every winter since the winter of 
1909-10 the Provincial Board of Agriculture has held 
apple-packing schools at numerous fruit centres in the 
province. In addition to these classes, apple-packing 
contests are held in public at several of the local fruit 
fairs. Two classes of diplomas are issued to the more 
skilled of the pupils who attend these apple-packing 
schools—ordinary diplomas, which certify to the pupil’s 
proficiency, and commercial packing diplomas, which not 
only certify to the pupil’s proficiency as a pupil, but also 
guarantee that he has packed for at any rate one season 
in a satisfactory way for some well-known fruit-grower 
or Fruit-Growers’ Association. It makes him, in fact, a 
professional packer. 
GOVERNMENT GRANTS.—The Government of British 
Columbia is in the happy and probably unique position 
of having an annually increasing surplus of revenue over 
expenditure. This enables it to be generous to various 
young industries. Amongst others that it benefits sub- 
stantially by direct money grants is the fruit industry. 
Considerable sums are given every year to the funds for 
providing prizes at the local fruit fairs throughout the 
province. The prizes, which are competed for at the 
apple-packing contests, are provided by the Department 
of Agriculture. This same Department collects and 
