NEW FRUITGROWERS COMPANY

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2716, 10 March 1916, Page 8

NEW FRUITGROWERS COMPANY

Mr. H. G. Hill, late general manager of the Bristol and Dominions Producers' Association, Ms at present engaged in forming..a company with a capital of £20,000 amongst the fruit-growers of the " Nelson district. .At present the .'growers are considerably handicapped iii» the marketing of their produce by the sacrificial prices they receive at times for the fruit sent to Wellington, it being no common thing for them to.be faced with a loss when the market happciislfa) be glutted. One of the*company's objects will bo to endeavour to prevent such gluts by devising a new scheme '-of -'distribution, one that will, it.'is belieyfd; place the gfower in closer connection with the consuming public by the elimination of the middleman's profit. The matter of finding new and profitable markets overseas wili also be the business of the new company.

There . is,a feeling of disappointment amongst farmers in the' Mataura district' at' the result* of threshing operations. "Some of. the. results are not what,were anticipated. In discussing the matter-with an "Ensign" representative,' oiio' farmer said he knew of a yield that was fully ten bushels per acre , below the estimate, and another was fifteen bushels below the estimate. Asked if he could give any reason for. the'falling off, tho farmer replied that he "thought, the: weather during the last month of growth'was too hot. and "hastened* the ripening of the grain too rapIdly.' Tho" result was. that the ears had not filled out and matured as was expected. The straw was clean, good, and lengthy, but the yields were slightly, disappointing. .

Harvesting is. making good-progress in the Ryul Bush district, says the "Southland. News," and it seems probable that the average yield of oats will be from 50 to 60 bushels per acre. a half acres of Record Gartqns, Mr. G. N. Kingdon has threshed 110 bags of "firsts," which ,is just 10 bushels short of 100 bushels to the acre.'-.

Tho:"Lnke Connty Press" says:—The crops in.'this 'district are not threshing out up'. to expectations-. A local farmer, who had.la' ftnc-lbolcing crop of barley, .expected 40 "bushels to the acre, whereas the. actual yield was 27 .bushels. Other farmers have'had similar experiences, . ; and,.the reason assigned is that =owing '.the hot Weather.'and drying winds experienced during tho past "two months, the grain ripened 'tooj quickly, iiikl'did'hot fill oiit- in the ear.

. The shipment of ten thousand crates ■of ch'eesp from South Taranaki factories, valued at, about £50,000, was made last week; but there still remain over ten thousand crates'in store. The diffi-culty-.'of securing space on Home boats has -been, the .. cause of the, congestion at, .various, factories, and, the season being a record one, supplies have -accumulated quickly. The Waitotara district still cop-timi.es to send away substantial, drafts, of stock and farm produce, and during; February about 500' bales of wool, 96-50 sheep, 180 cat,tlo,: .i«id over 100 calves were forward'ed,' the; approximate value being close on £25,000.'

t In view of the very serious complaints that wore made by South American buyers as to the quality, of some of the Now Zealand- apples bought by them last' season, rigorous -steps are being taken this season (says the Nelson ' Mail") by the Orchard Division to ensure' that only fruit of the very best 'quality leaves New Zealand under the Government Ara-n'd.'- The export trade is but a repetition of hst .X?. 5, r ;s experience would be fatal. ■This sMson. mily fruit that is passed at iiie.-iwr'ts.'.will he branded, the Orchard Diyision declining to do any inspection at' private packing sheds.