FIRST STEPS IN FRUITGROWING.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 413, 23 January 1909, Page 3

FIRST STEPS IN FRUITGROWING.

CHOOSING VARIETIES. - WHAT THE WORLD WANTS. . 111. ' ' When one sets out to choose varieties of fruits for an orchard on which one's living will depend there need be no other consideration than one of profit. So long as an orchard produces varieties that pay, it is producing what the public wants. What constitutes a good variety? A good variety of apple or pear to suit New Zealand conditions should uossess the following features, which ars arranged in the order of their relative importance:— ~ t Good flavour. 'Reddish', colour. Crisp and juicy, rather than mealy. • Medium to largo in sizo. ' Good keeper and traveller. l i Moderately, blight proof. \ Early or late. i Good for canning. Good for. drying. - It should also,be proved to succeed in the district. If a variety is very early it can often be marketed before tho prices drop appreciably, and it finds the public waiting for it. For, the next month or two afterwards there ■is a greater abundance of apples and other fruits on the market, and prices—at least in the_ wholesale markets—fall. But tho late varieties, 'which will stand keeping, may be stored in a cool place and marketed after tho higher prices have returned. New Zealand is much under-supplied with winter, apples and pears, and thero is good room foi further enterprise in producing tbem. Some Early Apples.

yltv'mayjbeidoubted'/whether. an'aitem'pt: should: be''made wrath ,of Auckland to grow: very, early::apples;;';:'.The : Auckland :"'apples' would always get;first,upon the market, and unless;^' •Wellington early apples -were'■go-: ing ;tb. get. the- early.; prices: -the attempt .would, beiunprofitable.; The; early;; varieties 'usually [ f mbst':'iriV:esteem;,;among^gro>ers'::;,are : Irish I?each' -'apple; 'and :Red,Astrachan.;:;Th'e r first is s.rath'er; a;' shy' bearer,.the ;';fruit:V;b'ein'g ; .chiefly" at the ends 'of; the /shoots';, and, V though. usually,;;'described, as 1 of good;:'quality,, : Astrachari;;is/';-a".;larger'apple;, bright 'j': red," mealy'-In' texture, and', usually-'-'saleable'/at' a; good' price,;;'' Neither is' I .art>apple~ fabe : both-i ered-with'when money^making,is;the; .. : Best Cooker Jn'^ theTworW- V-■ 7S■'- ] ' v ■ f Vi<- ..'..:: A; little; later.'conies... the" 6ravenstein.;-,This ■ 'isVah'appk.-'that.has'no' fault:except.its;sea-; (son, of."fipening.:^Ljke : ..the pear, ;it; .ripens;; at ;.a'time of ■ plenty, and only,'its high' quality'';Carrie's;-,it;'.ihroughi .Where,fruit'isi so j dear" as it is in Wellington,: it is : .possible: 'that' ! an>orchard; of,' Graveiisteins would'.pay : handsomely'.'.'"''lt ¥ is : - : a'/ pretty ; apple,; yellow' marked? with: red, largo,in size, delicious to eat,;'as, juicy as ..an orange, ..the best cooking; .apple :in !: the",world,. and an ideal'apple.ior.. .'canning.'.'; It.; will; carry" ;'to.' England. if; well j : treated;'! J The '.'•■: is.'. a'heavy-cropper;, and very; vigorous."iv;When^unskilMly'jru'nJß'd;,'|t, : is' sioWivtovicome:.into.'bearing,';.; but; I :,that \k', :quite s, u^er;.the^bntrol\of^ ;T^:-Creat-A'. ; ;Then;tnere is'Jonathan./^lf:it;is .:tp;^e-a; :iate"'bfchard,' ; '.and if': Jonathan ■•does";'w'elll./'ih', gardens :in'.th*e:district;:then' Jonathan.-must:-, • have;mo'st'bf ;;,th'e ; space.' ■. Jonathan'-is; avtypi-; cal'market apple ;in - colour,- 'size,'.andquafity.: ; It. cah : ybevekported.;,; : Another- red:apple, Dogherty, butf : it. i is'not:'quite''sb:ffee--frbm; the:woolly; aphis as' one :would ? like."Jonathah:j is; in.-• greaif(f iTvbur ■; and ; is-.tak-" .iilg:a';:large:'.'part;in the apple-orchards-how. being; planted. in:', New .'Zealand.;-;' It'.--&.an ■ ■ apple;\tp 'ifetclr 1 ; topi prifces.'. r:v \

•'• .showsi asv ! 'tho t :best''dessert-apple."'^lt, i jg;of medium "to ; :largo ;size;'■ slightly: : fussety;;.over ''yellow';: less-, juicy ; 'perhaps than;; Gravehsteiri,: -Mi .'more-full;,of'• the.:-rich aromatic . : ';"apple : flavour;' VV : Fbr ; rdaking;;good;'apple; 'pies;' no-; ■'thing;Vcari '.beaV.Sturmer./v'lna^stricts;'suited; id'-iti'i thtf; crops' are;heavy. -It is' 6he';bf'th'e .Dest;keep;era'arid:;travellersV/-K ,h6weyer, r just;tbq;'late'to batch the-;best : "",-:J..Wy-\:'^';-ji^^\-

■TKe;.;Export^Tfa<lß-^' :: ' ; : ''"':;' -'"; ; ;',4' ■-,'Just.now.therP;^ New/Zealand,/;;This.;is.'cliiefly because.'the! local?prices.are too good' to force growers'to look-to.any.-other,.market.. .'.Yet ■ some';-day, : - of ; course,'; thes local ; market will ,-; be;.' more; abundantly'supplied, 1 and it is wise; to';; cpn : sider how far - .one can, in, planting, - for the; local'needs;-- provide, also for the, possible/ne- \ cpssity,-iri;the.'.future to. I 'export. Happily, 1 one can-meet , ; the'local rieeds./excelleritly with; .varieties' wPll suited for exporting—Jonathan .'and.' '..Yet ■the'-v:y'ory exporting-.should be --ripp,. .'s6qienougli;tb; leave-New .Zealand'about, : ; tne last ! week >m; jFeb'ruary,''' and react 'London/in: 'April/. May;' : arid..early ■'■;: June./Aln" : view-i-of;-.the planting '-. of.;'J6nathan - .'and Sturme'r,;;;hpwevef, ; .there may';be- : w.isdom,' ; in seleoting'-varieties which': may be/ marketed, /-/■////£::;. 'sbme.-fsar;freas^ '■■'<■. ;There"''is:-very: little ..thought; of exporting '■pears'.frq'm/New!Zealand:yet.;: Th'echief'var-; iety; • here :as./everywher'e,';;is .Williams's-Bon : Chretien (or 'Bartlett)..j-It• is (the; standard of; excellence:'as; 1 -a'.''.dessert. or canning' pear, and.-'is.a ; 'healthy,-,-prolifio>arie%.r r .No; : othe'r. parlcan',.compete . successfully against." the ■Williams'in ! ihe; : Williams', season;- which, ,-is : . 'mid-season;: >It'is:':not* kept 'for ":the" winter. ,'supply;/ Easter; Beurre/and Be.urre;Bo'sc'.are' ,very.;,profitablo'sorts,:but for winter use'.p6r- , haps Beurre Diol-is : a3,largely'-grown- as any. Ne;Blus Meuris..is-.a; variety little.-heardVof,. ;cropper; : The:- pear is?'of t excellent"! '■ quality./' .Doyenne 'diii.Cornice' ;'Js'.classed; as-.the'-bes't'; pear' grown -in Bntairi> but.at.'-is ."seldpin".':heard;of: : here/;: : '.There.:*jS: extensive.'rboni'.forexperimehting'with' varieties; ~Fertility ;is ; ,a'. vigorous, .-grower, j'.and' bears ; ,--:. abuhdantlyjr; ■;/ ,but;. : the : ;';fruit '^ "' ; is : not,'';.-'.' in;j;Vf aVqur. ■',- ■'.'-■: in I.';. ;tho:: : .-: markets; -It^js'' -rather.VVa bad '.'traveller.; i,.. Winter

Nelis, a russety pear, is the sweetest of all winter pears, but it is a little bit on the small side, and it does not bear well unless skilfully coaxed. Professor Wickson, in his book on "Californian JFruits," written years ago, mentioned and illustrated a "winter form of Williams pear. Our nurserymen have been, very slow not to have put it upon the Now Zealand market long ago. ' "• ' Apples for Drying. The dried apple industry is not under the flashlight of a boom just now, and perhaps the prices would be considered "not worth tho Bother:" Yet it offers 'a good outlet for fruit crops in districts whenco transit to market is a serious undertaking. At Auckland tho sun is powerful enough to dry apples for Homo use, but artificial evaporation is necessary for any extensive operations. Tho host apples for drying are those •which give a'largo residue after the moisture is out, and which have good flavour and texture. Somo tests on tho yield of dry apple from various varieties gave the' following results:— Dried apple per w . ,■ look Variety. , green apples. _ _ . , lbs. ozs. Ben Davis ' .„ ... 18 6 . Golden Russet 18 12 ' , Greoning 16 14 Northern Spy 19 g Fatten!b Greening ... 32 Ribstono Pippin ... 18 2 ' Scarlet Pippin 13 2 Spitzenberg 16 4 Schneider 10 10 Sharp's Russet 15 — , Bismarck (or 20-ounco) ..; 18 12 Tho surprising'thing about these figures is that Patteu's Greening (a stranger to Now Zealand) yields-two and ovon three times as much dried-apple as some of tho other varieties. This is equivalent to two or t

tbreo times. the crop por tree. Of the others, Golden Russet, Northern Spy, and Ribstonb Pippin,.which gave good, yields, arn apples of excellent flavour .well known in New' Zealand. It takes about 511b'.- of apples to make a pound of dried fruit. Soft Fruits. ;: In the softer fruits the following are good varieties, approved by the canning expert:— .-', Apricots.—Moorpark, ■ Royal,-. and Blenheim.' , '..'■■. .'.""■■ 'Peaches.—Lemon Cling, Orange Cling, Sus■fluehaha, Crawford, Muir, and. Wager. , . ■Plums.—White Magnum ; Bohura, ■'.."-.Coe!s Golden Drop, Yellow Victoria, and Orleans. ." /Neotarines.—White Freestone.; ( ' ' ■»''•'.'..;.•. ;. -For,'shop. purposes, Briggs's' Red May, Haigh's Early Canada, Hale's Early, - and Prizetaker, Wager, and,Muir are good.sorts.' /of 'peaches; .Clyman, Purple Gage (or Angelina .Burdett), and Burbank (Japanese), 1 plums; Goldmin nectarine and Lippiatt'sProlific . nectarines; .J,',;-;' (To be continued.) : ,:. ; ..». V THE TRESPASSING HEN, !:- :,:/ I NOVEL CURES.'. "Some people frequently have neighbours'hens .trespassingv on their gardens,'and most people have different way's of' dealing with the matter. Some ' endure the" evil, path ently/ for fear of stirring up strife with a neighbour; others throw - bricks desporately. Both methods are had. This American way . is; better:— ..-.-■ i "I : have been interested in the discussions as to the. best way to handle a neighbour's hens: that are troublesome (says an American). Thespian of fixing up: a nest for the hens to lay in while visiting you looks feasible to the novice,:but unfortunately in thiscase chances are more-than 16 to 1 that she' will- go home to . lay as well as roost.: She .'.'was made: that way. The plan,of a 1 friend- of/mine, is more practical. He recommends fixing up some sort of an-enclosure :on your- grounds.:into which the visiting hens cair be lured, and the door closed early' in ■ItheVday..: If there is no barn .or ; other; building, at-hand, a temporary affair can be cheaply -provided with the aid of a -little': ■wire: netting; When it comes time of day to seek he"r;riest,' the- hen,'-finding the way barred by a closed, door, will soon search out some corner and deposit her egg for you. A little subsequent ;tact in telling of the nice: largev.eggs your neighbour's hens lay will bring-him to reason in;; most .cases., '• Trespassing, animals and unruly children are two: great,sources of. neighbourhood .quarrels;' and ■ .a -peaceable man .will'•';find-.■■■:diplomacy needed'at times." ':' .'■■''■'■.': :■'■''■ . , > -' ! .' ; : K. '"..'{ Another authority, on .this thorny: question tells." .'this" story:—' 'A Mr. 'A; -.'•' lived ■, in a; country village very: near his neighbour, Mr. 8., ■', who' kept .'a' small flock of'. hens, "and'as; ■hens'; were'- troublesome to Mr.'-'A.y he-. 1 : quested.B.,to keep his hens shut',up,-so they would not trouble .him.' • Compliance ; -was;promised, but performance was not : realised,'• so.Mr. A.,.'who very much:disliked trouble; .with'B.y built a small coop on his land and made' ii'. : inviting; to. B.'s oiddies,' and they soon moved in and made .it their home." A. fed arid nested'-them,-keeping, the hens shut up.. .'Aftera few days he took the eggs that had 'beeri v ;laid over to" 8., and- told him the eggsbeloriged to him,-, as. they were laid . by ■. hishens, and.he: said he would continue 1 to: 'bring the eggs as they were laid. : He.Baid ; he .found it less, trouble 'to s feed and>care : for ,the,ihens when-he, had them -confined; than: 1 it!, .was. to. drive: them' out; of his yard.; It-'Was ; nbti.-m'ahy days' before -B. had/a chioken!yard 'with. his■ hens:"in' it; 1 ;, and .A.: .was ho -longer-, troubled with ;biddies -in'-his .yard.": . There various",' other ■bourse. '■ A.marihas:the iright to .protect'his! •'own 'property;'. He. can-'drive the trespassing hens'off nis'land.' Ho can set a'dog on'them-•to.-drive 1 tbem off; but r nbtvtd kill" them;';? Ho.: can".- scare.-them by-shooting, l but<he :must■ •not''shoot-to kill'or cripple. :;.He'.cah. : o'a'tch them*, and, let the ; -neighbour. v come- ..after'. ■them'.., : He 'cannot■'■ kee'p ; '■' theln; but'he;- .can ; sue'the neighbbur : for damages,; etc., ilh.'mqstj cases,:howeverj the easy way is the best; arid; ']udgment;-.amdvdiplomacy'.iwill alwaysr-standj >ffi;'gobd< stead. \ ; V:v\/■>"'-.'-;.'.-'•.-, ..•_•'!

ECC-LAYINC COMPETITION. v.'. - -■'■■•r-v. i The' Blenheim 'egg-laying total for the ,weok is 1678, and the grand total 65,740. (says a Press Association message).- Tho-highest aggregates t6 date arc Mr. Browne's white leghorns; 1102: Mr. Edelstone's. white leghorns, .-1064;: Miss Brown's black orpingtons; 1061 Mr. Silcock's white leghorns,. 1025.- , : . ' i .i.-'V;