FARMING. & COMMERCIAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3003, 14 February 1917, Page 10

FARMING. & COMMERCIAL

THE FRUIT CROP

Officers of tho Horticulture Division ox the Department of Agriculture report as follows regarding the condition Of the iru.it crop at the end of January. 1917:— Jlawke's Bay.—Apples: On the whole a very fair crop; Jonathans are disappointing. Apricots: Very poor crop harvested— cracked very badly by tho heavy rains in December. Nectarines and Peaches: Good crop of fine sample midseason and late varieties. AH 6tone fruita are now showing Tery little ripe Tot. Pears: A very patchy crop, some varieties very heavy, others very light. Plums: Light crop. Plums (Japanese): Heavy crop, but suffered badly with ripe rot. Raspberries: Very disappointing crop. Tomatoes are a failure. Disease is very bad on both plant and fruit. Walnuts: A good crop, but rather badly diseased. Wanganui.—Apples: Medium crop, codlin moth prevalent this season, fair quantity of early fruit coming on to the market; good prices realised for first grade: Apricots and cherries: Light crop, early varieties harvested. Gooseberries: Good, all harvested. Lemons: Good average maintained. Nectarines: 'Medium crop, bndly affeoted by ripe rot. Peaclics: Light crop, badly a fleeted by ripe rot.. Pears: Medium crop, scab prevalent this season. Plums: Medium crop. Plums (Japanese): Good .crop harvested. Raspberries: Fair. Strawberries: Good first crop, second crop a failure owing to dry season. Tomatoes: A few outside varieties being harvested. Walnuts: Medium to light crop. . Palmerston North.—All fruits are suffering from the dry spell, the stone fruits, early apples, and pears being rather small. Apple and pear scab is conspicuous by its absence. Brown rot still very bad in stone fruits. Tomatoes are looking well, being very free from Irish blight, but sadly in need of rain. House grapes are looking, well, the season being very favourable, i Nelson.—Apples: The prospect- of an average crop of good quality is well maintained! Apricots: The harvesting of this crop is about completed. Lemons: There are some good crops, maturing well. Nectarines: Some excellent crops now being gathered. Peaclies: Results variable, to-talling-an average crop. Pears: Short crop, maturing well. Plums: Good average crops now being gathered. Plums (Japanese): Heavy crop now Being harvested. Raspberries: An average crop of good quality still being harvested. Strawberries: About over. Tomatoes: Inside crops about finished; outside crops are a good average. ' Marlborough.—Apples: The indications as to crop are as stated last month, with the exception that on the night of the Btli a most unusual and heavy hailstorm; passed over* portion of the district. In a few of tlva orchards the fruit is badly marked. Pear scab is present to a cer< tain extent in' the district. Nectarines, neaehes, pears, plums, and Japanese plums: A fair crop. Raspberries: Poor. Tomatoes: House tomatoes heavy, and prices have been well sustained. Walnuts: Good.

NEWS AND NOTES,