THE FRUIT CROP

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 277, 12 August 1918, Page 8

THE FRUIT CROP

, CONDITIONS KEA'IEAVED. ; Officers of tho Horticulture Division of '. the Department of Agricultare report as . follows regarding the conditions of the ; fruit crop to the end of July:— ' North Auckland.—Lemons: Medium; ! now harvesting, main crop. Oranges: \ sweet, average; poorman, medium lo heavy. Stone fruit pruning is going on '; apace. Very cold weather has been cx- ' parlenced and exceptionally- heavy frosts 1 are recorded Very little planting is ;. being carried out this year. AVaiteraata.— Lemons: Good average I crop. Oranges: Sweet, fair crop, St. ! Michael. Oranges: Poorman, good aver- ' age crop, now nearly done. Under the ! circumstances very fair progress has j been made with pruning operations. Many growers now turning their attention to ; pip fruits. Heavy frosts have been iregis- \ tered in Auckland during tho last week i of tho month, and young citrus growth j has suffered in consequence. There are ' considerable stocks of apnle3 liold in c'col • stores- here. Auckland South.—A T ery wet and extra ; wild month. Some very heavy frosts, ire-. i cord for the past thirty years.-_ Stone fruit generally show heavy promise. AVaikato —AVenth'or conditions during the early part of the month were bad for 1 the carrying but of all orchard work, but improved during the later part, hard \ frosts, which will do a, vast amount of • good, being experienced. Citrus fruits : have teen cut around Tanranga, but to •what extent it i?. difficult to determine , at present. Most orchard week is rather ■ backward. Poverty Bay.—Lemons have proved a ■ good crop of excellent fruits in tlio Pov- : crty Bay district, but verrucosis is tak--1 ing the usual toll in the Auckland part ; of the district. Oranges have proved a ! fair crop, The month lias been reasoni nbly fine, with cold piercing winds and ' heavy firosts, with snow on the high connI try, and in other parts where it.hns been' i. unknown for a number of years. General I orchard work is in full swing, the land ' in good working order, and the work i well advanced.throughout the district. i Hawke's Bay.—Lemons and poorman I oranges: Good crop. i Wanganui—Pruning and spraying j checked considerably owing to wet weai ther. ; Palmerston North —Apples: Mostly cool i store autnain varieties appearing on the .' market. Pears: Only cool store on mar- !- ket. Quantities of cool store apples and ', pears appearing on market. Local-grown ; wintor varieties in Falmcrston North are] !, not in demand at present as the cool 1 store lots are keeping prices* down. Apples do not appear to be keeping well this j season. Nelson.—The weather for the month i generally has been cold and bright, and " orchard work has made good progress. . Tho cold seasonable weather is a good introduction to the approaching season. ■ The crop in cool store is now being i packed and put on the market. I Marlborough—Nothing of moment has i happened during the monvh. which lias ; been 0110 of severe frosts and fine days, I thus allowing the winter work lo pro- ! ceed without much hiulrauec. The soil ■ generally is in good condition, and in ■ great contrast to/ this time last year, i when it was in a very sodde-M state. ! There is every appearance of an early j spring Tho late crop of upples is grad- ; nally being disposed of at remunerative j rates. Canterbury and AVcsf Coast—The wcaI ther during the month Ims l.een tho worst know for many y-jirs. fhore has 1 been two heavy falls of snow, averaging ' from 6i'x inches up to four feet in depth I on the flat. This is greatly retarding orchard work, making it almost imposI sible to get in the. orchards. Nurserymen I arc having a bad time in getting their j orders out. Cool stored fruit is now be- !. ing put on to the market fairly freely, i fair prices being obtained. The Delicious : seems to be keenly sought after, and is topping tho market. ! Christchii.rcli and Sub'urbs.—This month I (July) has been the most severe in Christ- ; church for a groat number of years. Some I very heavy frosts and exceptional falls of ; Fnow have been experienced. Although I the weather has impeded work in the ;' orchards and gardens, it is hoped that \ much good in other ways will be deriv- ; cd. The soil has had a good soaking, and : after tho past dry seasons this has been 1 greatly needed In some of the outlying I orchaa'ds hares have been doing consid--1 erable damage among the younger trees. ' Tomato houses are preparing tor plantf ing .out. South Canterbury.—Piough weather has 1 prevailed throughout the month, much ; gnow having fallen and hard frosts and ■ gales being general. Otago.—Heavy fall of snow and rain has taken plaeo during the month. Noi thing fresh to report. • i Southknd.-Duiring the month of, July ; the weather has been very wet and cold, ! thus hampering pruning operations. The i ■ •

districts outlying Invercargill have been at times covered with a heavy fall of suow.