DEVELOPING OUR FRUIT ORCHARDS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2425, 1 April 1915, Page 8

DEVELOPING OUR FRUIT ORCHARDS

HOW:.THE BEGINNER IS OFTEN . LAUNCHED. "During the planting season 1914 has occurred the greatest development in laying out apple orchards that New Zealand has yet experienced" states a note in the aunual report of tho Wellington Chamber'of Commerce. "Some quarter of a million fruit trees —mostly apples , of approved commercial export varieties—have been planted. The Nelson district has always led the way in orchard planting; illustrative of this is the fact that apples exported from tho Nelson province in 1912 totalled 18,000 cases; 1913, 33,000 cases; 1914, 66,000 cases. The 1915 season promises to greatly exceed the 1914 season. "Most of the work of new planting has been carried out by large companies acting on behalf of intending orchardists who are not yet resident. The methods adopted by these companies are similar in each case. A supervised who' is a fruit, expert, is appointed for each estate, and a staff of men under him are engaged. The whole of the planting work, including clearing, ploughing, purchase of trees, fencing, etc., is carried out under this supervision, and by this staff tho orchards so planted are maintained under the same management until in bearing. Spraying, pruning, cultivating, and all necessary work is carried out, and the orchard handed over to its owner when it comes into bearing. Tliis method is agreeable to many purchasers, as it enables men, who could not otherwise afford the fivo or six years' wait, to remain in whatever position tbey may hold until their orchard is a revenuc-producing concern."