by J.L. GORMAN
In looking back over an action packed year as NIVP I am most happy that we have tangible results and that good progress has been made on the Hazels front since the Hazel Seminar.
AUGUST TRIP
From the Management meeting in Hamilton, August '85 , I headed south to Wanganui and visited the new sub branch being organised by Nicki and Clive Higgie. They have a particular interest in Bamboos, which take advantage of the surprisingly frost free hillsides around the farm. I later called on Stu Welch, the Central Districts Secretary and we formulated a plan of attack for the seminar. He agreed to tackle the Catering side while I organised speakers and publicity. One final call - on Vern Harrison to fix the venue before I got home.
A list of those to contact to help publicise any kind of Agricultural day is worth printing here for those who may need to Spread the word in future.
1) Bureau of Primary Information, A private concern for back-up, finds sponsorship)
2) Don Carson ( Radio N.Z.)
3) Media Services (M.A.F. branch which sends out info throughout DSIR.)
4) Rex Monigattie (Farm Forestry Assoc)
5) Claire Rumble, (journalist who may write an article on your project fer National Newspapers)
6) Local Radio, Local Papers and any Farming Circulars done by Federated Farmers
7) Branch Secs NZTCA for their newsletters - Best to write an article they can put straight in and send to their local radios etc.
In October I shot round taking shots of all available Hazels, but since the processing factory took 4 weeks to return them, this was Love's Labours Lost!
N.I.H.A.G. (North Island Hazel Action Group)
After that , back to work and another circular letter to all secretaries asking for trial areas, and a meeting of the NIHAG in March. Murray Redpath was appointed Secretary and Data collector, so if you have a hazel you think is good, contact Murray.
Basically we will be putting in 3-4 trial areas this winter - viz Takapau Plains, Ruahine Foothills, and Bulls area. That is all because of a shortage of plant material. We will stick to the same varieties as SIHAG for comparability of results and add on an extension of our own NI sorts, and the shelter parameters for trial areas were decided upon. It will be made clear at the outset that the cost of setting up an area will be about 600 Dollars to the trialist, whose land it is on. All wood removed and suckers may be used by the trialist, any profit to return to the NIHAG, and no unnecessary wood to be removed. We would like more trials next year especially in Taranaki and Tokoroa, which would give a good climatic spread.
ALMONDS
Throughout the year I ran a one woman campaign to discover the lineage of the Almonds available in NZ. I found out the following:
1) The DSIR 's records of plant imports are incomplete and insufficient to be useful and they refer one to the M.A.F.
2) The M.P.F. do not keep records of plant material imported through their quarantine into N.Z. "in a readily recoverable form" so they cannot inform a grower what is in the country.
3) MAF will not allow imports of Almond material as they can carry diseases of the rose and peach.
4) This helpful info from Doug Davies, Canterbury NZTCA:
“For your information the original Almond Selections released to the NZTCA in 1978/79 were carried out by Laurie Hurndell, now retired.
Since it was not possible to import Prunus species into New Zealand because of disease risks for our Rose industry it was decided to grow Almonds that of the three basic types i.e. Soft Shell, Paper Shell, and Hard Shell.
All of the trees selected come from provenances established in the South Island, namely Blenheim and Heathcote. The names of the owners of the properties at the time selections were made in 1975/76 were Connelly & Ballinger, Blenheim; and Bond, Heathcote-Christchurch.
For further information on the most suitable pollinator you should write to Harvey Hall, Scientist, Crop Research Division, Private Bag, DSIR, Christchurch who still maintains an interest in Almonds. Tree 100 B is listed in our records as a soft shell from the old Bond orchard, Heathcote.
The only active research that I am aware of relates to root stock selections e.g. Almond v Peach Stock and maintenance of budwood. A well prepared case for encouraging further research into late flowering types and promoted by NZTCA is long overdue.”
HAZEL SEMINAR
The Seminar in November was great, over 60 people came, we had superb tucker thanks to Central Districts killing the fatted calf. I had my head down being chief scribe (it's called keeping a low profile), and spent the next day getting over writers cramp, having written down anything anyone said within earshot. After the seminar we held a management meeting and the WAG also met so it was a productive gathering. A week later I sent out the typewritten lectures to the speakers to check I had not written any heresies. I then retyped and duplicated enough copies for all who had ordered them, and then 20 more, and then 50 more, and then - got sick of it and sent the whole caboodle to Tom Dinning so if you want a copy - SEE HIM!
NOBTHLAND TRIP
By January I was ready for a holiday, so off to Whakatane where I got in touch with Bay of Plenty secretary Gordon Atkinson. BoP is interested in Catalpa bignoides (Indian Bean tree) for their ground durable (100yrs) timber; these coppice and grow to 150 ft in 18 yrs - so don't plant one on the front lawn. He also said there are some interesting ‘warm hardy’ Hazels that could be interesting for our NIHAG trials.
Sometime later (mid Jan) I visited Earthsea Gardens in Matapouri, Northland where anything put in the ground seemed to grow - out of what was a brackish swamp, even some Almonds and Hazels - which both bear nuts, in that warm spot. It is a nursery with every kind of Hibiscus, Named varieties of Banana, Custard Apples, Choko, PawPaw, Giant Passionfruit, and other tropical goodies, at which I could only boggle and wish I lived otherwhere than the Wairarapa with my 10 Degree frosts. I did however obtain two DSIR approved Olives - J3, J5 for testing at home. I also spotted a couple of Pecans which reminded me of Owen, however we hope they won't lose any foliage on the top.
A couple of days later I got Horticultural Indigestion, brought on by an overdose of Tropical plant names, rattled off by Robin Booth at Pungaere Nurseries - there seems to be very little they don't grow, and if there's anything they've missed Robin's off to Papua New Guinea this winter to fetch it. I also found out where the nation's Baby teats are grown - by Don Boyes-Barnes and his wife in a greenhouse next door. The teats keep the moisture in the top of macadamia grafts, which are held on at the bottom by clothes pegs to the rootstock. Mad, but it works. Another general idea (this time Jill Booth's) is to graze Guinea pigs round the daffodils - kept in by a 30cm fence, and for those like me who keep geese for similar purposes, and get Mosquitoes in the ponds Gambusia Fish are the answer. They eat the larvae. I discovered that the Gunnera is edible when young, and that Jujube, Pomegranate, Tea Camellia (Cup of tea sort) will all grow here in NZ. I made off with a Tea bush and seeds; with my predilections it was a must.
It is not surprising, but very sad that in view of 1-3 above, one Marlborough member who wanted to plant several hectares of of Almond gave up in disgust. To try and answer some pollination questions I have planted Almonds 90, 95, 100, 403 to obtain more data myself, and Vernon Harrison is collecting data from Central Districts also on the Almond; I believe it is a much overlooked crop. I dare not suggest we have a seminar on it, as I haven't recovered from the last seminar yet. I give warning that as I am once again in harness this year as a teacher, I will not be half as energetic as I was last year, or at least I hope not.
Jean Gorman