1906.] Protection of Fruit Trees from Frost. 57 



Here, as a rule, members have obtained very great advantages. 

 The trade in pigs also forms an important branch of the 

 business, the object aimed at being to obtain the most favourable 

 markets for members' consignments, and to acquire the position 

 and reputation of being consignors of best bacon pigs. Although 

 the scheme has only been in operation a short time, there is 

 ample evidence that better prices have been obtained than would 

 have been the case had the pigs been marketed in the ordinary 

 way. Pigs to the value of ^17,352 were sold during eight 

 months. 



The number of small farmers who have joined the Association 

 up to the present is insignificant, but the Committee specially 

 mention that a man farming ten acres of land would be treated 

 with the same consideration and would be able to purchase his 

 requirements on equally advantageous terms as the man farming 

 a thousand acres. 



Enquiries have recently been made as to the methods adopted 



abroad for the protection of fruit trees from frost by smoke, 



and the Board have been informed by the 



Protection of Director of the Horticultural School at 

 Fruit Trees from ^, , , , rn j 



Frost. Ghent that the usual process followed 



in that country is to burn leaves, pre- 

 ferably from resinous plants, such as the yew. In France, 

 use is made for burning of brushwood, damp hay or straw, or 

 half-rotten dung, while heavy oils are also used occasionally. 

 There are also several patent preparations manufactured in 

 France for the production of a dense smoke, but these are rather 

 expensive, and the tendency is to use these preparations less 

 and to make use of chopped straw as an alternative. Several 

 growers in England experimented in this direction last year 

 with at any rate partial success, and the Board would be glad 

 to be informed of the result of any experiments during the pre- 

 sent spring. 



