THE FRUIT CROP.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1628, 20 December 1912, Page 8

THE FRUIT CROP.

'.OFFICIAL BEFIEW OF-CONDITIONS.

According to a.Teport supplied .by -the OrchanisVarid Gardens Division ■• of the '.Agricultural Department on: the fruit crop in the'.-Wellington district, apples and Japanese , plums' ■.continue : '..to show good crops';'- gooseberries are .in- good supply, and-realising-fair prices at. the markets, ami strawberries are fair .to medium, lo-matoes■-'.■■suffered .considerably ■ through heavy, gales, : some growers losing, large numbers of plants. . Grow ers are, begin, -nin'-to realise the need for spraying with Bordeaux mixture, winter formula, at the proper time of the year. In orchards where this has: been- neglected peach-curl and black-spot ■ are very prevalent In the Wnngamvi district gooseberries are.pro-viding-a heavy', prop, strawberries . j:tc good and cherries'fair. Pliims and peaches, are developing :well and promise, to be a fine sample. Black-spot .is giving troubleamong the apples and pears in. many -in-, stances, aid the' brown beetle.is makmg itself a general 'nuisance, though causing no alarm' to the grower, who consistently sprays his trees. In,the Manawatu and Wairarapa, the prospects of the apple and near-crops ate , medium to good, while plum's arc not so Tieayy as last year. Ihe black aphis has done considerable dama"o in the Wairarapa, and the lnonze l-.a-tle is : very bad around the Levin district. Vegetables on-the-whole are looking well. Tomato blight is noticeable ; in •places; .but- principally where no spraying . lias teen done. '• The wet weather around Hastings made- fungus diseases troublesome liist.month, especially/apple mildew; otherwise ■ tho fruit Crop is progressing favourably.: Irish blight and onion nul■ils\r are. in evident.) to a. slight extent;