IN A PALMERSTON ORCHARD.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 779, 31 March 1910, Page 8

IN A PALMERSTON ORCHARD.

BIG PEARS. Hearing that. Mr.. 0. P. Konterg,. of Ferguson Street AVest, had grown some enormous pears, the Palmerston North representative of/The Dominion paid a visit to his place, and found that, the re-, port.about the pears wasqiiite true.. He writes:—This gentleman is an enthusiastic amateur orchardist and . ; gardener, •whilst Mrs. B-qnterg'is an expert florist, and an extensive exhibitor and" , prize-' taker at our 'Horticultural shows, at the last exhibition.-having .won. the champion, prize for roses. Mrs. Eonterg also makes a speciality of chrysanthemums, in which she is most successful. But this is getting away from tho, pears. Mr..Konterg has about,a 'dozen. ,four-year-old trees, which he is cultivating oii tho espalier system. The , name of the variety is "The Czar," and the; trees; began ; to bear last year, one fruit'/turning the scale at ljlb., but there .were.few.of.them". ' .This year the trees aro bearing'.plentjfully, and, the sight is a delightful.one," the friiit. hangV ing in bunches, some of them weighing lib. Goz.. whilo . rieaily tho ' whole, .will easily go l'Jlb.. -> Another ,, .variety—the "Kaiser Vf ilhclm"—also being;cultivated as .espaliers ■ in', the chandelier' form—is'a prolific ccbpper,, andrweighs.a pound.-a-piece. Mr.. Konberg is ,'anxious to save some of "Tho Czars" , , fpr the'next;show of the Palmcreton;Horticultural. Society, but is doubtful , if he will be aWo to do .so,-as the fruit is. ripening rapidly. .'Besides those meiitioued, Mr. Eoubarg' has "William's"- pear,-much , smaller than'the others,, but a very, heavy cropper; and still another variety is oiie that is .used solely for pickling..'..Vil these are being growji pn-tlie.espalier, system, which ; i8 exceedingly convenient for : . dealing with blights aud the" codlin moth. ' Mr. Ronberg imported the pcai-s from Denmark, and among the varieties is .one called "Conirt Moltke,":n splendid dessert fruit. Out ■of .-two dozen . applo trees iinported, pnlj;. two died, which is,certainly a fine.result, considering .the distanco and' time.before, they ..reached' ttieir destination. , .' '■•''. ■•;. ,'. '• : .'''.' ■'■': In a paddockoft the.main orchard'.were a number of' pear trees, grown .on' the Finmihi'd- 'systiln,' ' ; .Tlie :, i>t«iiis-'aro'.'cl«au u».to about 7ft.,. and Hieii branch out. T.We soi-yc" , Iwo ci\'c ; a great .fcp;. of mofrt t!esira.ble fruit, ahd provide good shade; for stock in the summer. ■ '■"-.■ ' ' " "' ; ' '.'-.' ■