THE FRUIT CROP

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 44, 15 November 1917, Page 8

THE FRUIT CROP

PBOSPECTS FOR THE SEASON. Officers ofthe Horticulture Division of the , Department of Agriculture report as follows regarding tho conditions of the fruit crop at tho end of October, 1917: — North Auckland.—Apples: Average set early and mid-season, heavy 6et lato varieties. Lemons: Promise good average. Nectarines: Light. Peaches: Early varieties, light , set; mid-season, average set; late varieties, heavy set. Pears: Early and late varieties, light; mid-season, average. Plums: Light. Plums (Japanese): Avovage. Strawberries: Much improved; good average crop expected. Oranges: Heavy blossoming all round. Waitemata.—Apples: Heavy blossoming all round, Average set early varieties, average, to light set of mid-season, heavy set late varieties. Lemons: Good blossoming. Nectarines: Mostly light set. Peaches: Very heavy blossoming all round, with an average set so far. Pears: Early and late varieties light set, midseason average. Plums? Average. Plums (Japanese): Medium to light. Strawberries: Old beds fruit coming to hand in large quantities; every promise heavy crop from young plant*. Most varieties of peaohes and apples had set heavily, and owing to wet weather conditions generally a large percentage have fallen. Bronze "beetle is very ac{ive and more numerous than usual at an early date. Auckland South-Pip fruits generally promise good average crop. Stone fruits: Medium to light. ■ Strawberries aro now being marketed. Potatoes: Early sorta fully 50 per cent, below average planted this season. Small quantities. now on market. Outdoor tomatoes now well established and growing freely. Waikato.—Apples: Blossomed heavy early varieties set well. Apricots: Showing foi: splendid crop. Cherries: Looking well. Gooseberries: Promising to give good returns. Lemons: Nearly all gathered. Nectarines: Crops are rather patchy; ripe rot showing. Peaches: Should no frosts occur, crops good in most places. Pears: Giving promise of heavy crop. Plums: Are going to be patchy. Plums (Japanese)': Eair crop showing. Strawberries: , -Now being gathered; looking well. Tomatoes: Plants very healthy and. strong. Walnuts: Poor.

Poverty Bay.—Apples: Average crop; erratio blooming... Apricots: Short crop. Cherries: Not grown to any extent. Gooseberries: Short crop.- Lemons and Oranges: Good show of bloom. Nectarines: Short crop. Peachos: Short crop. Pears: Heavy sot. Plums: Average crop. Plums (Japanese): Average crop. Kaspberries: Not grown. • Strawberries: Average crop; rather late. Tomatoes: Average planted. Walnuts: Trees show well. Hawke's Bay.—Apples: Exceptionally good promise at present. Apricots: Only' a moderate crop.' Cherries: Should produce an average crop. Gooseberries: Patehy, but on the whole good. Lemons: Crop about over. Neotarines: Heavy orop promising. Peaches: Early varieties light, other varieties about average crop. Pears: Promise exceedingly well; some varieties now falling owing to nonfertilisation. Plums: Afraid crop will be light. Plums (Japanese): Good. Strawberries: Promising exceedingly well. Tomatoes: Glae3-house tomatoes never looked better; plants outdoors now well established. Walnuts: Promise exceedingly good set. Wanganui.—Apples: Setting well; prospect of heavy crops of all varieties. Apricots: Medium crop set. Cherries: Good crop set. Gooseberries: Average crop. Lemons: A good average maintained. Nectarines: Medium crop has set. Peaches: Light crop has set. Pears: Heavy crop; setting well. Plums: Light crops. Plums (Japanese): Prospects very varied. Strawberries: Fruit eetting well; weather favourable for heavy crops. Tomatoes:. Looking well, making good average growth. Nelson.—Apples: Generally have 6et a good crop. Apricots: Crop poor generally,, with some conspicuous exceptions. Gooseberries: Conditions havo all been in favour of a good crop. • Lemons: In fine condition, blossoming well. Nectarines and Peaches: Have set a better crop than anticipated. Pears: Have set a fair crop; some black spot showing. Plums: An uneven crop, but generally good. .Raspberries and Strawberries: Have had ideal conditions during October.. Tomatoes: "Inside" the plants are strong, with a good crop eetting; "outgjde" the plants have made a very fair start. Marlborough.—Apples: Have blossomed heavily, and apparently setting well. Apricots: Very fair. Cherries: Fair. Gooseberries: Good. Nectarines: Set well. Peache3: Set well. Pears: Set well. Plums: A good set. Canterbury and West Coast.—Orchards are looking exceptionally well, and there is every appearance of a good all-round crop having set. Christchurch and Suburbs.—Apples: Very heavy eet. Apricots: Fair to good. Cherries: Good: Gooseberries: Good. Nectarines: Fair. Peaches: Fair. Poars: J?air to good. Plums: Heavy, set. Plums (Japanese): Heavy set. Easpberries: Fair; bud weevil bad.- Strawberries: Fair. Tomatoes: Hothouse, good. South Canterbury.—Apples: Good show of blossoms, and every appearance of a heavy set. Apricots: Patchy; late frosts caused loss in some localities. Cherries: Good set; brown rot prevalent. Goose-

berries: Medium to good. Nectarines: Fair. Peaches: Setting well; sonio buddropping in damp situations. Pears: Sot heavy; diseases very prevalent and prospect for crop very poor. Plums: Good. Plums (Japanese): Very heavy sot. Raspberries: Poor. Strawberries: Good. Tomatoes: Every appearance of . plentiful supply. In some localities pear scab is very bad, 75 per cent, of the crops in some instances being affected. Brown rot is prevalent in the cherries, the troublo starting through the moist conditions causing tho petals to adhere to tho young fruit instead of falling clear, as in normal seasons. Very wet conditions have prevailed throughout the month. Otago—Apples: Jonathans, fair to light; ail other varieties heavy setting. Apricots: Very heavy setting, thinning being done. Cherries: Good crops. Gooseberries: Good. Lemons: Not grown.' Nectarines: Heavy; _ leaf curl prevalent more than usual owing to wet weather interfering with spraying operations. Peaches: Heavy; leaf curl prevalent more than usual. Pears: Heavy setting. • Plums: Good. Plums (Japanese): Good. Raspberries: Good; a little later than last year. Tomatoes: Planting being done; not as heavy as usual; considerable loss-in young plants. Walnuts: Fair. The outlook for all clases of fruit promises to be a bumper crop. The season is slightly later than tho last few years. Southland—Apples: Now coming freely into blossom. Gooseberries: Every indication of a heavy crop. Peaches: Very few grown, but dropping very prevalent. ,• Pears: Heavy blossoming l . •Plums: Trees in good condition; have blossomed well. Tomatoes: Under glass are coming on well. Palmerston North.—Apples: Heavy. Apricots: Light. Cherries: Fair. Nectarines: Light. Peaches: Light. Pears: Medium to heavy. Plums: Heavy. Plums (Japanese): Heavy. Apples promise to be a heavy crop. Wellington—Apples: Looking well; prospects of a fair crop. Gooseberries: Heavy setting. Nectarines and Peaches: Leaf curl very much in evidence; poor setting of fruit. Pears: Promise of a good crop; set heavily. Plums: Prospects of a good crop. Plums (Japanese): Prospects of a good crop. Tomatoes: Loking well under glass.