THE FRUIT CROP

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 117, 11 February 1919, Page 8

THE FRUIT CROP

[ .'• -DISTBICT-P.EPORTS. . '■ .'■ Officers of-the Horticultural Division i tepert as follow regarding the condition I■.. of the fruit crop at the end of Janu- ['<■-. ar.v, 1919 - ■.''•', V ''.- North Auckland.—Apples, medium; ?; lemons, good set; ' nectarines,' light; ' I peaches, mid-season, average, late, light; j .'■ l>ears, below average, plums (linglish):. t; Heavy crop. Plums'.(Japanese): Me--Idium. Strawberries: Fnislied. Oranges:' i- Sweet, heavy; PoDrinan, heavy. The, &".- crops of both stone.nnd pip fruits isv-im-; V: ' der average., A cold spell was account- . ''.[,, . able for the falling of many varieties f-: of apples just subsequent to setting; this ' fi .condition, however.'was general through- }£.'.' out the north. Young orchards are in J'', splendid .condition, 'more especially in |- icgard to ' the good growth made' ihis i:' : Reason. [■'■■■ .-.AVni'temala.—Apples: Mid-season and v. : . late,Tinediunrto heavy; earlier varieties, E'...light. Lemons: Medium set. / Noctnp. ■■■ riiics;: medium. Peaches:. Second enrlies, t! .medium; mid-season,--heavy-to medium; t - ..late varieties, lighter. Pears: Light to [', medium only all round. Plums: Heavv. J;:,: Plums (Japanese): Heavy. Strawbe'rIjJ.' lies:.finished. . Tomatoes: Verv pror mising. Oranges: Poorman, 'heavy; ./sweet,"heavy to medium. The peach ; 'and nectarine crops will bo slightly under ■', average. Plums are heavy. Brown I};- lot, although,much in evidence on stono f'. fruits, is taking toll of''a considerable I ■;■• smaller percentage of the crop than riur.- (' 'ing the same period of lust year. Drier. h weather conditions brought 'the straw- {.'.;'• berry? season to a close last? veek. The t., good rains during the spring are rcspon-. Mblevfor exceptionally good growth on }...'•. young orchards trees this season;, and, (•'. ., Renerally speaking; these are looking reII markably well. F;.-'■_Auckland South—Apples and pears: p; Fair average crop. 'Stone fruits genert:;.'.~e,ly carrying fair crop, also practically £■'.' ircfi from' brown rot so. far.. StrawherLj. Ties are in full supply■ with good prices ' p tomatoes: Outduor later than usual; fi ; some,: now being marketed. PotatoesI', ,?}' -'"'eraKe, with ,very little blight. ' I" , Waikaloj-Auplcs:- Earlv varieties jv being gathered. Apricots: Crops afTe i Aroba.guod; other parts poor. .Lemons: ?..- Promising fair crops. Nectarines:. Fruit s. backward; fair crops. Peaches: Patchyvery good.. Pears: Light. A i- ' ?'; eat 1 of s l ,ot - K''^: Fair crops. I P urns (Japanese); Heavy,, Strawberries: ij, Almost finished. Tomatoes: These have'' ji picked up since wenther improved. Wal- ■ ! JiutsiTLifjlif.:'- } -Poverty Bay .-Apples: Medium to ■v heavy crop. Apricots:-Havo proved a . better crop c than anticipated, weight f.. making up for number, and most liiies p.. marketed'are excellent. Lemons: Good i? 61iowyfor heavy crop. Nectarines: Meb dium ; crop of small fruits. Peaches- Meg diumcrop. Pears: Medium to heavy !:' ?,?»• ¥\* ms .(European):'Short crop. ; Plums- (Japanese): Heavy crop, except | Msunia, which is light. Strawberriesp Justrabout over, good crops. TomatoesA lileavy average crop in sight, very free K '. ironi-disease. Tree plants' very vi"orous ■ •| goodTshow of bloom. Walnuts: Heavy K .S r( !f-, , r ßa . cteriMi s destroying at least h i 10 1- various varieties of fruits ma-. i- . turing three weeks later than usual. »(.-. .Hawkes:Bay-Apples: Now harvesti! ..ing good crops. of Grnvcnsteins; other >, varieties patchy and possibly below the [ average, but not a short crop, with the |; exception of Stirfmers.- Lemon's: Good I promise. Nectarines: Goldmine ' good; j other varieties mostly light. Peaches: -Light crop.' Pears:, Very fair crop on r- tlie whole. Plums: Good crop. Plums 1. (Japanese):.' Light crop. Easpberrics: \ Very light. Strawberries: Second crop j- poor.;, tomatoes: Outdoor crop very late only.a-fair crop, prices' excellent-.' AVal- . nuts: Good cre.,l). I Average crop. > Brown beetle caused-considerable dam-' I- age W disfiguring fruit. Black spot nrei; vnlent. Apricots: Medium crop; a "few r late varieties to be harvested. Cherriesl Good crop fruit gathered. Gooseberriest J'Ttiit- gathered. Lemons: Light crop! t Nectarines: Medium crop. Peaches- Me- - dium'crop; early varieties harvested and ■i good prices obtained. Pears: Heavy crop. Black spot prevalent. Plums: Me- | drum-crop. Cherry plums: Heavy crop > ami.good prices: realised.. Plums (Japj- anesej:,Heavy crop. .Strawberries- Me- !•'■ diiim.prop,wet season spoiled considerp able ...quantity. Tomatoes: Late'; fruit I «?«ing fairly well. Walnuts: Medium to ~ light crop. I ■Mnnaivatu and Wnirarapn—Apples • I- W «™ppi!t budly. Apricots: Light. ! Nectarines: Poor. Peaches: Light. (•■■ Pears: Light.. Plums: Heavv. Plilms . Wapanese): Heavy. Raspberries:' Light. - Tomatoes: Very late. Fruit late, and f scarce in Hnirarapa. There is a mark- ;, .ed absence of potato blight in the Wair- rarapa district. . \ I , We , l . li "K toll ---M)ples: Fair. ApricVts: j! Practically nil. Nectarines: f'oor crop. i -IPi'ches: Poor crop, y'r-rv fa-j----i Jlums: Good. Piums (Japanese): Good' I Tomatoes: Prospects poor. Tomato :; p ants are very backward this season. ( bIHiT' 6 " P ~reß(' "t ■ VPl ' r fl ' f ' l ' fl ' oni l -Apples: The prospects of a i fair .moderate crop . are maintained, t Apricots: A comparatively heavy crop I is being gathered. Lemons: There has > been -a very good setting of 'fruit. NecI tarines and peaches: The crop is patchv I em ' m] KV ly S "i r - Vma - A moilJ. erate croii. Plums (European and .Tapj nnesc): Good crops' are being gathered. ■;. Baspbernes: Owing to unsuitable weat ther only a quarter crop is ripening. f strawberries; A. good but short season ! has been brought lo a close by ( |, T I weather. Tomatoes: The crop under j glass is about finished; outside plants ; are lookimr well and promise a fair'crop i Walnuts: A good crop with much less t Ijl'irht tlinn usual. i! Marlborough.—Apples: Sturniers. good; f Delicious, good; .louathan, fair; Dunns I heavy; Cox, light; Dougherty, fair; j. qmility will be very good, Ap- ;■ ricots: Variable. Nectarines: Short crop j* Pears: Average. Plums: Fair. |>iums 0 (Japanese): Fair. Tomatoes: Short, out- , side crop. Walnuts: Jlcavy set, but con- '• siderable "spot." ' "/ ;; _ Canterbury.-Apples: Crop very small '•'. in frost-damaged areas; rest medium. f Apricots: Fairly good crop; very clean. ■ Peaches and nectarines: Good average |j crop; looking,well; very free from any <: disease. Pears: Fair in some districts, ;! and on the whole free from black spot. |i Plums and Japanese plums: Average '{ crop and clean. Tomatoes: Very good; ? looking well; no disease so far; heavy i crops outside anticipated. 5 _ Cbrislchurch and Suburbs.—Apples: t ■ ?W)r. Apricots: Very good. Cherries: 1 '"iiiod. Gooseberries: Good. Nectarines: I Good. Peaches; Good. Pears: Fair to

medium. ■ Plums: Fair. Vluius (-Taiianosc): Fair. Raspberries: I'iiir. Mi-aw-■berries: (.-food. Tomatoes-. Hothouse, good; outdoor, very into. Walnuts: Very good, The apple crop will lie a very light one, but pears are promising much better than was at first thought." Hothouse tomatoes have been good, hul outdoor are very late, and none of the growers has been picking for market as yet. Walnuts are promising to be a heavy yield, and, if the present good weather continues black .spot will do very little damage.

South Canterbury:—A pnhw: Short supply, much damaged by nail. Apricots; ■Patchy, (.'hemes: liarves'ted. Gooseberries: Clood etop .'•!»! very plentiful. -Nectarines: Light. Peaches: Light crop. I'ears: Light crop, Plums: Poor. Raspberries: \'ery backward. Strawberries: Disappointing. Tomatoes: Glasshouse crops very good; outdoor destroyed by hail. Wiikiuls: Very poor. A severe hailstorm passed over Timaru district on January 1, and did very extensive damage to fruit crops and outdoor tomatoes. Owing to cold and unsettled weather, all garden produce is very backward.

Southland.—"Apples: Fair crop; powdery mildew, woolly aphis and black spot prevalent. Gooseberries: Heavy crops; 1 marketing' good; season nearly over. Fears: Poor crop, looking better; some districts good; black spot,and pear mite still prevalent. Plums: 'Light crop; plum rust very marked, Raspberries: Heavy crops; late ripening, due to iuclement weather. Strawberries: Medium crop; better crops being harvested than anticipated. Tomatoes: Some excellent liouses; good average crop, should no <lwintervene; lata i inciting. Potatoes: Pair crops; no disease. The weather has teen changeable throughout the month, ,nnd outside work generally is far behi'ufl. Orchardists unable to cope with disease on account of wet weather, which is very ■unseasonable.

Otago—Apples: Good average crop, notwithstanding frost dam ago in a feworchards, slightly affected black spot; good amount, of riisset by use of Bordeaux mixture and frequent rains; hail damage of little consequence. Apricots: Now estimated at about 65 per cent, of average crop owing to frost and heavy dropping in Roxburgh Red variety. Cherries: Now finished, but good crops gathered where frost wa>j not experienced.. Nectarines: Fair crnn of this fruit. Peaches: Better'cWof early varieties than anticipated. "O'linlity and colour not so .goodas usual. * Mid-season fair, late varieties good, especially Muir. liust is now mak-ing-its appearance. Pears: A fair crop and vei'v clean on the whole, more so than apples. Plums: Both Japanese and Fjiiglfsli are turning out much betlcr, and will be quite a heavy crop. Raspberries: Heavy crop of Bttersburgh variety has been picked at Island Block during January; others finished. Strawberries: Coming on slowly owing to the peculiar season. One grower wired from Alexandra district: Tomatoes badly, attacked with blight.