FEBRUARY FRUIT CROP

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2403, 8 March 1915, Page 8

FEBRUARY FRUIT CROP

DEPARTMENT'S REPORT. The officers of the Orchards, Gardens, and Apiaries Division report as follow regarding the condition of the fruit crop at the end of February:— Poverty Bay.—With the exception of a little rain on the last day or two of January and a light shower or so during' February, the drj- weather still continues. In uncultivated and poorly cultivated orchards it has had considerable effect on fruit trees, but where the; soil has been efficiently stirred up the crops have been good—a splendid recommendation for the district, which has now seen three droughty seasons on end. Apples: Mostly good; but owing to the rough weather, in roughly-kept orchards thev are inclined to be small. As South America is calling for larger-sized apples this will curtail export from Poverty Bay this season, and it is probable that only a small consignment will go forward. Pears are a very, heavy crop. Lemons: Fair prospect. Apricots .were a very heavy crop. Peaches have been a good crop, but, a glut on the market. Plums: Very heavy and difficult of sale. Nectarines: Good, and have met a fair demand in southern markets. Walnuts: Goocl, but suffering badly from bactcriosis.

: Hastings.—Dry weather still continues, and uncultivated orchards or those of shallow soils arc now suffering considerably. Pears and apples are ripening fast. I 1 rost on February 19 damaged sort.crops to some extent. Apples: A very late, crop of, good fruit.. Moth is rather' troublesome owing to the dry season. Neotarines: A light crop, prao. tically. over. Poaches: A light crop of fair quality. Pears; Very good; iruit nice and clean, Plums: Practically over. Tomatoes: Some fair crops, but mainly poor and frost affected. Walnuts: Fair trop.

Palmerston North.—ln the Wairarapa dry weather still continues, and practically all fruit treos, especially where little or 110 cutivation has been done, are feeling the effect, of the prolonged drought' together with an abnormal amount of 'wind. In the lower part of Horowhenua Uounty the wind and. sea' air have caused considerable damage to all fruit trees, and in some instances, particularly..where no shelter has been planted, trees were completely stripped of their foliage, presenting in consequence a . large amount of dead wood'; .and it will, take trees a couple of years to retain their normal state. Early apples and pears have practically all been, harvested, and, considering the season, good crops have been general. Growers state that the fruit ripened much later ' than usual. \ Lemons: A. good crop. " Nectarines and peaches:. Looking well, considering the season. Plums (English): Crops generally, are fairly heavy. Tomatoes: Good .crops and free from blight, but very late in ripening.

; Wanganui:—Apples: Dry 'season 're-' tarding development in. some cases. Apricots: An excellent crop at, good, prices. Lemons: Prospects well up to' average. Nectarines: Good-sized crops of fair'quality now being gathered. Peaches: Moderate orops,; prices good. Pears: Fair crops of good quality Being picked. Plums: English, prospects well maintained; Japanese, large crops of fair quality are being gathered. Raspberries: Good crops on the' higher'country., -Tomatoes: Prospects unusually good; ;■ Nelson.—Apples: Very good, much better than last season. Welcome rain at the end of the month will do a considerable amount of good for later varieties. Nectarines and peaches: Very good, better than anticipated. The later varieties have greatly improved since the recent rains. Pears: Good crops of. all varieties. Plums: Good crops, almost finished. Tomatoes: Looking very well; a most favourable 'season for growers; practically no disease to contend with. Walnuts: Good, nuts swelling Well; black spot in places.' . Blenheim. —Appl?s: A medium crop; more moth ■showing than, previous month; a few early varieties are being■gathered. Lemons: .A fair to medium crop. Peacheß: A good crop: early varieties gathered. Pears: A_ heavy' crop; • not so much scab showing as last year, owing, 110 doubt,, to the season being so dry . proving unfavourable to the spread of "this disease. Tomatoes: Good crops. Walnuts: Light, owing to damage by late frosts.