THE FRUIT CROP.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1608, 27 November 1912, Page 10

THE FRUIT CROP.

' PROGRESS IN TEE ORCHARDS. A. further-progress report on the season's truit prospects, based on last month 6 inquiries, has been issued by the Orchards Division of the Agricultural Department. The. report gives tue following particulars:— Whangarei.—All stone fruits, with the exception of nectarines, which arc thin, have set medium to heavy. Apples also are medium to heavy. Pears heavy,-anti in some localities very heavy. I'lieru are a tew sweet oranges to come off, which are a fair sample, J'eucli curl is rather bad. -Auckland —Poverty Bay prospects of apples, pears,..plums, late peaches, and gooseberries are - good. Nectarines • and early peaches, moderate. Apricots excellent. Lemons considerably damaged by frost of August 5. . Auckland -North;— Prospects good generally. Fair supply of strawberries. : Auckland Soutli.—Occasional cold, boisterous wind, doing a great deal of damage to young foliage. . Japanese plums prao:tically..n failure. - English plums fair to good, .vllarly and ! medium-early apples have, set well, and there is every indication, of .a heavy crop. <Early pears blossomed well, but very poor setting. Potatoes are looking well. Growers have begun to-dig:, oil account of high prices rul-. m.<r. ■', , llajiiilton.—leaf- curl is rather prevalent in district's'where' winter spraying was neglected...Arsenate sprciying for early varieties of; apples lias l ust started; other varieties blooming 1 freely. Indications aro for n good average crop. 'Wanganui.—Prospects of fruit crop, in spite of recent, gale.: have improved all round, more especially nipples and pears, which , have generally, sot well. Manawatii'ahd Wairarapa.—The majority'iif; the ..orchards are looking well. :Rough weather was experienced towards the end 'of the month, but practically no damage was'done. Peach curl is prevalent in some parts where no Bordeaux mixturo , has been used.' Growers arc busy spraying .with arsenate, of r lead for the codlin hioth.. .There is. every appearance of a good apple and: pear, crop. . . '-Hastings.—The frost danger on several 'octasions. dnriiig the moiith caused the fruit-growers considerable anxiety.' Duron's: the later portion of the month heavy rains-fell, and ftold weather prevailed, re-, suiting in heavy falls of 'snow on the sur■sounding hills. . This' again renewed tlxte danger of frosts, but although a few degrees were recorded nothing of a scriolia nature' happened. ' The apricot , crop this season .' is a record. All other fruits aro carrying heavy crops- excepting apples, which are ;Consid6rablyJ lighter than lost season...' .Wellington,—Jupaneso plums give pro-, mise of. an abundant harvest.; Peaches, :nectarines, ,and apricots are poor. Apples give promise of a. heavy yield.Cultivation and spraying operations are in most cases very backward, owing torthe, bh/1 weather experienced during, tho past eix months. Tile late storm did a ftreat deal of 'damoge, .'especially to pear trees, which promised a heavy yield. Nelson.—On. October 27 a severe frost was experienced, doing extensive damage to tomatoes and potatoes, principally in Toitoi- Valley and Stoke, but apparently doingno damage to fruit crops. Notwithstanding very , wet conditions during Sepwhile stone fruits', 'were blossoming, there are prospects of a ■ very fair crop.. Apples and peers' are setting heavily. Black-spot is- malting its: appearanco oil pears in some localities, and peach curl is very prevalent. Lime-sulpliur, solution is being extensively used for spraying this season in lieu-of. Bordeaux mixture. . Christchurch.—There is every appearance of therebsing a.record crop of fruit this season, almpst r .all varieties setting freely'. n There is SilhOftirQuantity of 'locals apple# on tlie'iriarket. ? v Timaru—(Mostly- t all varieties „of fruit has a 'good show oftblossoirfj every instance have set well. (Reports to hand point to diminished yield owing to' the adverse weather. The raspberry bud Weevil has been -causing a good deal of damage...... - ,■•;!. "■ ■ . _ . ■ ■ Dunedin.-rApples and pears are setting well; apricots good, peaches fair to.light in some places, plums good. ■ Small birds are doing a great deal of damage by picking out the young fruit and buds. Peach curl leaf and shot hole fungus ore very prevalent owire to the wet season. Strawberries are looking very well and showing . great promise. • . f