H.—34.
Research and Experimental Work in 1938 Season. No experimental or demonstration shipments of fruit are being undertaken during the 1938 season, as it was felt that the regular and special consignments over an unbroken period of several years just passed have proved the efficiency of the comparatively new " jacket " construction and cooling system for the holds of vessels engaged in the overseas transport of our fruit and for other exported foods, and they have also as surely established the shortcomings of some of the older vessels and have served in fairly comparing the various systems of stowage. Nine groups of separate experiments on fruit are, however, being undertaken locally, some of these being check tests and some others are extensions of work begun in past years. The respective groups are : — (a) To test the relative influence of all-round wrappers on the staining of Winter Cole and Winter Nelis pears. (b) To test the influence of copper-sulphate-treated wraps in controlling the spread of grey mould on Winter Cole pears —three separate groups, one lot at Hastings and two lots at Wellington. (c) Demonstration of the conditions required for successful storage of pears of different varieties. (d) Control of scald on Granny Smith apples and to obtain a measure of the keeping-quality, both involving maturity at time of picking, delayed storage, and oiled wraps versus plain wraps. (e) The effect of fertilizer treatment upon keeping-quality of Cox's, Dunn's, Jonathan, Delicious, and Sturmer apples ; also in the first-named variety from the individual tree standpoint and in relation to bitter-pit. (/) Influence of position on the tree and incidence of bitter-pit in Cox's ; also respiration tests of specimen fruit from outside and from inside positions on the tree. (g) Extension of the gas-storage trials on Washington and Ballarat apples from the same orchards in Nelson as for the 1937 season. (h) Preliminary work in connection with the gas storage of Sturmer apples in case lots. SOIL SURVEY: EIGHTH ANNUAL REPORT. Land Utilization Committee. —Sir Theodore Rigg (Chairman), E. R. Callaghan, A. H. Cockayne, R. P. Connell, E. J. Eawcett, Dr. L. I. Grange, Professor W. Riddet, W. Robertson, R. B. Tennent, Dr. I. W. Weston, E. J. A. Brogan (Secretary). The land utilization survey of Hawke's Bay, comprising soil, pasture, and farm managenent and farm practice surveys by the Soil Survey Division, the Plant Research Bureau, and the Department of Agriculture, respectively, has made rapid progress towards completion during the year. During the period under review about 1,100 square miles were mapped by the Soil Survey Division, making the total area covered to date over 4,000 square miles. In the coming season the survey will be completed by a rapid reconnaissance of 300 square miles of high country in the north-western survey districts, and a more detailed survey of 650 square miles near Wairoa, Woodville, and between Weber and the coast. Soil maps of the district which have been completed are now being drafted for printing. The pasture survey under the Direction of the Grasslands Division of the Plant Research Bureau has also been rapidly extended, and a total area of 1,900 square miles had been covered by the end of the year. Pasture maps of several of the completed districts are being drafted for printing. The survey of farm management and farm practice in the Hawke's Bay Province has been carried out by the Fields Division of the Department of Agriculture under the immediate supervision of Mr. R. P. Connell, Land Utilization Officer, and a report on the progress made is contained in the annual report of the Department of Agriculture. In North Auckland the soils of the south-western part of Whangarei County and neighbouring areas in Hobson and Otamatea Counties (an area of 600 square miles) were mapped, the total area surveyed to date being 2,600 square miles. The Department of Agriculture assisted in the work of relating farm problems to the soil types. A report on the work in the Whangarei County is being written up for publication. REPORT BY DIRECTOR (DR. L. I. Grange). The chief activities of the Soil Survey Division during the year were : — (1) The regional survey of Hawke's Bay Province (by I. J. Pohlen, H. S. Gibbs, and J. D. Raeside). (2) The regional survey of North Auckland (by N. H. Taylor and C. F. Sutherland). The Hawke's Bay Province covers an area of approximately 5,000 square miles, most of which has now been mapped. In the past season the pumice soils north and west of Napier have been classified. Soil maps for publication on a scale of 120 chains to the inch are now being drafted.
7—H. 34.
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