THE FRUIT INDUSTRY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1716, 5 April 1913, Page 8

THE FRUIT INDUSTRY.

AN ARGENTINE GROWER'S OPINION. Some, little time ago, says the Cliristchurcii Press," .Mr. ..Walter llacfarlnne; or lyaiwara btation, Arnuri, had an interesting talk with' a Britisher who has gone. m foj; fruit 'growing in the 'Argentine on a rather large scale;' This gentleman _had lately been in the Dominion to p if he could purchase fruit for export to couth America, where thero is an excellent demand, especially for apples, but lis. trip did 1101 result very satisfactorily because t he could_ not get . tlie quantity he required, and in a great many cases tho varieties he particularly wanted were not the ones that were being grown commercially. Nevertheless from what he saw ot-the country he formed the opinion there wero tremendous possibilities betoro it in the fruit-growing line, because thpre were large areas of country' in both islands adapted for growing fruitthat were not particularly suited for agricultural or pastoral operations. For this reason the land could bo bought at reasonable rates, and the fact that tho season camo when it did was a great factor in placing the fruit on- tho British or South •American markets at the right timo. The varieties of apples that he recommended to Aew Zealand fruit growers ta. plant were: Black' Ben Davis, York Imperial, Jonathan, Adam's Pearmain, Jonathan Cleopatra, Spitzbergen, King Apple, Northern Spy, Keinette du Canada, Kibston Pippin, Orange Pippin, Newton Wonder, U'ino Top; Allington Pippin, Gascoinc Scarlet, Bramley Seedling, ICing David, Hayman, Delicious, and Peasgood's Nonsuch. The kinds of fruit that he grew in his orchards in tho Argentine were peaches, apricots, loyuats, eherries{ Japaneso plums, and all English varieties, besides oranges and lemous. His . practice was to use a paradise stock for apples and ho planted 200 trees to the acre. His methods of dealing with orchards was to plough it all ono way between the trees as soon i.s the fruit was pulled. Tho land was let lie for about two weeks to rot tho weeds, then it was' cross ploughed and lef,t for another fortnight, and disced onco each way. Tho practice was to sow rape, vetches, peas, beans, or lupins, which, gathered nitrogen, wait until tho crop was about eighteen inches high in the spring, and then plough it all in. After the first ploughing ho sowed 1001b. acid phosphate, 2001b. ground bones, and 2001b. of muriate of potash. This formula ran about 3 or 4 per cent, of nitrogen, 8 or-9 per cent, of phosphoric acid, and 15 to 16 per cent, of potash. His experience proved that a bearing orchard would easily stand tho expense of 6001b. of this mixture per acre. Ho then, after nianuriug, cross-ploughed tho land, let" it lie for two or three weeks, and then disced both ways, and kept tho latter implement going until tho fruit was about ready to pick. His boxes for packing the fruit cost him lOd. each in the flat, and'the cost of putting tlieni together was about Jths of a penny. They used two sizes of boxes, but tho major part of the', fruit was packed in the 401b. size, the 701b. size being less used.- • He has found that a six-year-old tree yielded about two casc3 (valuo 95.), an eight-year-old tree gavo four cases (valuo 18s.), a ten-year-old tree gave eight cases (value 3Gs.). Prom theso figures it would bo seen that the gross value of tho produce of an acre of six-year-old trees worked out at .£9O, and an older orchard would yield more in proportion, an acre in full bearing totalling about dI'DGO. Tho three following formulas he had found very eifectivo as washes and sprays for insects apd disease:— (1) Arsenate of lead formula. ' AVhito Arsenic ...~ lib. Carbonate of Soda Crystals 2lb. Acetate of lead 71b. Water 3Gopil. The arsenic and soda should bo boiled together in ono' gallon of water for twonty or thirty minutes. Dissolve tho acetate of lead in ono gallon of warm water, and tako caro not to mix tho compounds until cold. Then stir the arsenic into tho lead. Add water to 360 gallons. Spray as soon as blossom falls; onco moro in 11 days, and again evei'y fortnight for seven times. (2) Woolly aphis formula. ' Soft Soap lib. Plowers cf Sulphur lib. Caustic Potash lib. Soft Water lgal. Boil .the soft soap and sulnhur in the water for twonty minutes, stirring all the time. Tako off tiio lire and add lib. caustic, potash. Thin this down to the' thickness of paint with olive or cotton seed oil, and paint tho trunk and branches of the trco wliero affected. , (3) Lime and sulphur. Sulphur 3811). Limo 221b. Jlix sulphur into a paste. Slake lime with enough water to njake it like a cream.. When done boiling add sulphur a lid inako up to 50 gallons with water and boil for rue hour. Spray iiumcdioteJv- leaves foLU ,

LIVE STOCK SALES. Messrs. Dalgety and Company, Ltd., Palmerston North, report having: a very fair yarding of both eheep and cattle at their Palmerston Nor Mi sale on Thursday, which sold as below :—Quotat ions: Cull ewee, 3:5.; light fat ewe?, 103. 6d.; small two-tooth ewes, lis. 2d. to lis. 5d.; mixed two-tooth?, lis. id.; s.m. ewas, 10s. 6d.; rams, 12i?. 6d.; weaners, 305., 30s. (3d., to 32?.; Jer&ey-cross wconen heifers, £2 ss. to £2 15s.;'empty yearling heifers, £2 55.; small mixed weanei's, 28s. 6d.; two-year dairy heifers, £4 3s. 6d.; young forward cows, to £4 Is.; bulls, £3 2s. 6d. Messrs. Dalgety and Company, Limited, Wellington, report as follows on their usual fortnightly stock e*tlc, held at tho "Upper llutt on Thursday:—We had large entries of both cheep end cattle, and there was a- good attendance of buyers. Sheep were in keen demand, competition for all liueu being very spirited, and'we dispo. c ed of every pen under-the hammer. Cattle were btill hard to quit, but before the sale closed we sold meet of the yarding. V/o nuote the following prices:—Store wethers, lis.; forward wetherr?, 14s. Id., 14s. 5d.; fat wethers, 155.; breeding ewes, lis. 3d.; mixed age ewes, 75., &3.; woolly lambs, 7s. sd. to 9s. Id.; woolly lambs (small), ss. Id. to 6<s. 2d.; tiiorn lambs (small), 4s. 9d.; empty heifers, £2 10s.; cows with ealvce, £4 145.; rows in milk. £3 IDs.; springing heifers; £7: heifer and calf, £6; springing cows, £9 10s.; winter calvers, £3 10s., £3 lfe., £4 15i3., £4 17s. 6d.; light, fat hei•fers, £4 65.; weaners, 18s. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company,, Ltd., report:—At Point ere ton North on Thursday we had a fair entry of sheep and cattle, and have to report "a good clearance with a stronger demand. Owing to tho races next weelt, there will bo no salo at PalnieTston North nest Thursday.& Quotations:—Sheep: »Stor© cwea; fe. 9d. to Bs. 10d.; fat, and forward owes. 125.; store wethers, 12fS.; forward wethers, 14s. lCd. Cattle: Cull weaners, lis. to 175.; yearling steers, £2 Is. 6d.; aged store cou-s,' 263.; forward cows, £3 6s. to £3 93.; cows and calves, £2 15s. to £3 3s. 6d.; cows, in milk, £3 17s. 6d. to £5 55.; yearling bulls, £2 4s.