FRUIT CROP

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 47, 20 November 1918, Page 8

FRUIT CROP

p THE SEASON'S PROSPECTS . % DISTRICT REPORTS Officers' of the Horticulture Division of b' Department of Agriculture report as lows regarding the condition of. the bit crop at the end of October, 1918:— North Auckland.—Apples: Heavy blo3ining and indications heavy setting all li'nd. Lemons: Trees showing good iung growth* but jecovery very slow. Sctarines and Pea;hes: Heavy set. jars: Medium set. Plums: Heavy set. !'ums (Japanese): Heavy set. Straw.rries: First batch frui h from old spoiled by bad weather, and young ants suffering effects of cold. r Oranges: feet .finished; Poormnn, promise fine bssoming. Exceptionally heavy weatiij'has been experienced throughout, the Irtli—very heavy, rainfall/ with cold -rids and equinoctial gales, and in coniiuence those orchards not enjoying. 6d shelter liaye beei subjected to some Image. Brown rot and wood bud injtion are in evidence on .peaches and ctarines. Citrus trees are making a covery from effects of frosts, but it is ther slow.' A fen' strawberries have Ori in the market - . , ' , .';.';, ■ yV'oitemata.—Apples: Heavy . blossom*. j;, Oranges:,. Sweet, .finished; Poorin, heavy, blossoming. • Lemons: Trees iking slow- 'recovery., -Nectarines and laches: Heavy:setting.all round. Pears: >avy to medium set/' Plums: Heavy f.' Plums (Japanese): - Heavy 'set. ra-wberries: Plants suifering materially iin unfavourable weather. Tomatoes: ants suffering materially froni'unfavrable weather. The. heavy blossomJ'iof.stono fruits has resulted in an ceptibnally heavy setting all round, iars are a good set so..far; and apples and setting, very heavily ». Brown rot of stone fruits is very jch less in evidence up to the present ;: compared with last season. The; iather has. been boisterous and very it) the rainfall having constituted a ioi'd for the ■ month; and in conscience only a few strawberries have as t been marketed. '.Gales of exceptional blence have been'experienced, and the jnperature.. has ruled muchj below the erage. - V Waikato—Apples: Blossomed, very avily; inclement weather may affect the Sting.' Apricots: Give fair promise, ierries: Medium crop. Gooseberries: ,ops:beyond the average; need sunshine, jinons:* Recovering from frost effects, f ctarines: These generally have set fill ■-' Peaches: Have set good crops nefally. Pears: F<:ir. eetting; -black p'tiin evidence. Plyms: Moderate bp.v 'Gabs have .affected these to a eat extent. : Plums, (Japanese/Good, lies have affected these to a great exiit.'..'Strawberries: Now being gnther- '; looking splendid. Tomatoes: Plants l. looking well. ./ Poverty Bay.—Apples: Very, heavy bom;, setting well. Apricots: Medium op; by hailstoim. Goose : average crop./ Lemons id Oranges: Excellent promise for next ason/-" Nectarines and Peaches:.. Ileum -crop; damaged, by hailstorm. !aTS:-Good average crop. Pilims: Heavy pp. -English • better than usual. 4-awberries.: Good crop; retarded by s'ather .conditions. Tomatoes: Average* antings. •/.-■.■'.-■ - ■' ilawke's Bay.—Apricots! Much .better 'an last year. Cherries: Good. Gooseirries: Prospects very fair. Nectarines.iaches/ Pears," Plums . (English and ipanese): At present time it is imposble to give a. reliable estimate. v Tho strict-'has -been visited by a' late frost, think the damage will be found not as nous, as anticipated. Strawberries: »;;.:■■■

Witnga'nm.— Apples: Fruit sotting well; iod prospects of record crop.' Apricots: ruit setting well; Cherries:. Fruit setng well: Gooseberries: Medium .crop; ; few of the early \arieties 'being harjstcd... -• Lemons: :GobV! average crops, bung trees killed by late frosts. jNec--rmesj.Medium crip setting. Peaches:, /edium crop setting. Peach curl very :cvaleiit. Pears:: Fruit setting well, iod prospects of heavy crops. , Tiums: edium' to light. - Plums (Japanese): eavy crop. Bladder-plum-very prevaint' this season. .Strawberries: Good jow of "bloom; fruit setting well. To|atoesi'A."few outdoor varieties planted; ader. glass crowing well. Walnuts: .e'dium;to-lig^t";crop.'',.,'";'.;"v^; 7 :". I ;'' ".'.' jNeison.—Applel: *A very fine display of .teom. Apricots: Father patchy, but inerally a good crop set. Themes: A fav£_cEop of. blossom.'. . Gvoseberries: aye;;;set-well,*-but-- nc. 1 much : grown, iriiohs: Trees backward,".but looking exiptiocally well,' Nectarines arid Peaches: I very good crop -lies; set. Pears: The 7 ees;liave flowered -well.' Plums (Euvo»an.;'and..Japanese);. The. blossom- was utic'ularly fine, and seems to have set e!l; Raspberries- The gardens are in illy fair condition. "Spot" and 'rub", are. prevalent; 'Strawberries: lie.plants are in excellent trim;' pickig'should soon commence Tomatoes: bine -fine plants under glass. Ontsrde hints 'have been ..held back by coid eather.. ..The month has, been' rather et, nearly seven inches of rain having illen;.a cold.snap 'in'the'middle-of.tho Iqtith: caused-growers some uneasiness, tit'-comparatively litfle damage eeems ) have been done. '

;Ma:'lborcngh.—Apples: Very heavy set! pricots. Considerably thinned by frost, herries: Good set. Gooseberries:. Good, 'ectarines,: Very pood. Peaches: .-'Very Sbdl.....Pear.'?. G00d... Plums Very good, 'urns . (Japanese): Very good. . The. leather has been- unseasonable, -■ and toiv.th has been slow. . ;.C'anterbiiry "arid AYe-it Coast—During ie. e/arly- part of the month the weather :os/inclined- to be dry and windy, nor' ;est winds prevailing. • But during the ist ten 'days the weather changed, and as rsince been showery, with- further ills of snow on the bills. This is usualfi followed by sharp frosts; but so far je.have been very free of late-frosts, fid there, is every indication of a good itting of fruit. Almost all varieties ave bloomed freely, and appear to.' be ?tting_ well. Orchardists are now busy iith linis. sulphur, and arsenate of ;ad spraying.

iChristchurch ami Suburbs— Appier: [envy set.. Apricots: Very, good.' Cheries: Very good. Gooseberries: Good. Itctarines: Good average sot. Peaches: !ood average set. Tears: Heavy set. 'lums: Fair set. Plums (Japanese)-, [air'set. Jlost fruit has set a very envy crop, and unless we have n Inte Jost or'other adverse weather conditions, jiere is every promise of a good reason. ;Southland.— Apples: Not comin;: freer /into blossom. Gooseberries: Setting 'ell; every indication of heavy crops, 'ears: Heavy blossoming. Plum's: Blosimied well* Slightly aficclcd late frost; xpect light crops only. Plums (Japan--?e).:-' Blossomed well. Raspberries: Leavy blossoming. Tomatoes: Under lass doing well. v ; South Canterbury—Apples: Setting ffcll. Apricots: Patchy. Cherries: fery fair.. In some localities have sjil'ered from, the Inte«frosfs: Gooseberies: Very heavy. Nectarines: Poor.' ?eaches: Poor. Pears: Patchy. Plums: )estroyed by frost, lums' (Japanese): joor; much "pocketing." Tiasnbcrries: iood promise. Strawberries: Good tiroaise..-. Tomatoes: Under glass looking rell. Nothing planted'out of'doors vet. Palmerston North—A very wet month, ;nin falling oil eighteen days. Fungus [isease is prevalent; black spot, leaf mri. Docket plums powdery mildew, hothole fungus being much in evidence, fery few cases of fruit upnparing on wirket; these fruits being of' good (purity though inferior grade. Promise of in abundant crop; fruit setting well, farticularly apples. Peaches, ' light; iud-drop bad.