FRUIT CROPS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 296, 10 September 1919, Page 10

FRUIT CROPS

PEOSPECTS NORTH AND SOUTH. , Tho following official reports visualise the prospects tor the coming fruit season throughout the Dominion:— North Auckland.—Apples: Supplies of grown fruits iroin cool storages 'still maintained. Lemons: Trees on tho volcanic and semi-volcuriic land are making rapid recovery—heavy blossoming now showing. Peaches: Hells November and Kneed well forward. Pears t Heavy blossoming predicted. Plums (Japanese): Bursting mto heavy {lowering. Strawberries: Progress above average. Oranges (sweet): Finished, crop exceedingly short; (preserving): nearly done. All orange trees on volcanic making a rapid recovery. Poormau oranges aro about finished— one of tho poorest orops experienced for years. Seasonable oronurd work is well forward. Tomato houses are promising eotnething abovo tho average this season. Orchards aro now taking on a springlike appearance, and trees are coming into flower considerably in advance of an. average seaeon.

Waitemata.—Apples: Cold storage regulating tlio supplies—fair stocks still hold, Lemons: Aveiagc show spring blossoming most localities; some varieties very backward. Patches: Several varieties bursting- into blossom, Paragons being well forward. Pears: Promise of heavy blossoming. Plums (Japanese): Well forward—heavy blossoming. Strawberries: Plants making very satisfactory progress. Oranges (sweet): Almost finished; (preserving) finished. Commercial orchardists have taken advantage of the iine weather experienced during tho past month, and seasonable work is up to date in most localities. A number of varieties of peaches and plums are almost in full blossom. Pears are showing indications of heavy blossoming all round. Gonerally speaking orchard trees aro about two weeks ahead of an_ average season. Local lemons are still in short supply. Tho season, up to tlio last week, has been a dry one, but ample rains aro being experienced in the north. Eden County.—Lemons: Pair showing only of spring blossoming. Oranges: (swoet): very small stuff—nearly finished; (preserving): just finished. Strawberries: Plantings looking exceptionally well. A few varieties 'of peaclies aro now bursting into blossom, and 6omo plums are also ■ forward. Several rather 6liarp frosts wore experienced during the month. Indoor tomatoes promiso well. Auckland City and Suburbs.—Lemons: Slight recoveay noticeable most instances —poor prospects for summer catch crop. Oranges (preserving): Nearly done. Tomatoes; Houses well forward. Suburban gardens are already assuming a spring-, liko appearance. Fruit trees are commencing to burst their buds, and both private and market gardens arc in very good condition, work being well forward. Auckland South.—The first three weeks of tho month have been very favourable for usual orchard operations, giving growers opportunities tor correct spraying of Btone fruit, of which the majority have taken full advantage. Practically all pruning completed. Tomato house plants doing well; outdoor boing planted In favourable situations. _ Waikato.—Weather conditions during the present month have been very favourable for all branches of orchard work. Stone fruits are beginning to show bloom, and in most localities they aro looking well. Citrus fruib is somewhat late in coming to maturity this Poverty Bay and Hawkes Bay — Throughout the district the trew aro in a first-class condition for a good crop. Peaches and nectarines are well advanced in many localities; the pink spray has boon applied, and all should bo ready before the end of the month. This promises to bo «tn earlier season than usual. Wanganui—Apples: Pruning _ and spraying almost completed. Apricots: Pruning and spraying almost completed, a few varieties bursting into bloom. Lemons: Good average crops. Nectarines: A few varieties in favoured localities iu full bloom. Poaches: A few varieties in favoured localities in full bloom. Pears: Burating into bloom. Plums (Japanese): Burbanks-in full bloom. Strawberries: Starting to form new leaves. Wellington.-Though fairly mild during the latter part, the weather during tho past month has, from tho orchaixlists' and market, gardeners' point of view, left much to bo desired. Rain foil so frequently and heavily that only in tho more favoured localities has tho soil ■ been in suitable condition for cultivation. The winter has been particularly unfavourable for orchard and garden operations, and growers who failed to seize such opportunities as presented themselves for carrying out season-, ablo work now have considerable leeway to make up. Early stone fruits are now coming into full blossom. Nelson.—During the month of August tho weather has been seasonable and favourablo to the orchards. At the prosont moment—at the end of the monthalmond and plum trees are in blossom and give promiso of good crops. Apricots are forward, mid pencil trees aro just breaking into bloom. Tomato plants have lately been planted out under glass, nnd are now well established. Motueka.—Good rains have beon experienced during the past mouth. Pinning is nearly finished, nnd attention is now turned towards sprincr cultivation and spraying operations. Buds are well forward and evidence of the advent ot spring abounds everywhere. Marlborough— Work is now well advanced. Spring has come in. quite threo weeks earlier than usual. _

Canterbury.—During ■ tho last month the weather has boon particularly good from tho fruitgrowers' point of view, and there ia every evidence of a goa<i crop in all varieties. Growers appear to bo taking more drastic niHusurea against tho various pests and diseases: Stono fruits mo coming into blossom freely, and pears aro beginning to show colour. Christchurch City and Suburbs.—Mild weather ha;> prevailed throughout tho month. The absenco of heavy frosts lias been noticeable, and there has been nothing to retard tlio How of Hip_ in the orchnrd trees. Many varieties of | poaches, apricots, and plums that aro ii> favourable localities aro now in full bloom. . Thero is every indication dj very heavy blossoming, and, provided ive escapo frosts, a very lieavy set of most fruit may bo expected. South Canterbury.—Pruning is all finished, and spraying operations are now in full swing. Prospects for tho coming season are very promising. _ Light I frosts in tlio mornings aro still proJ valeni. " Otago.—Apples: Promise of good, crops.

Apricots: Heavy showing, just coming into bloom. Cherries: Promise of heavy blossoming. Nectarines: Promise of heavy crops. Peaches: Given favourable conditions o'rops will bo heavy. Pears: Likely to bo a good crop. Plums.: Promising a good bloom. Plums (Japanese): As usual plenty of bloom sTiowing. Strawberries: Plants well forward. During tho latter part of the month tho weather has been mild and trees are well forward, but at time of writing a cold snap with snow has occurred, which will tend to hold tho season back a bit