THE FRUIT CROP

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 42, 13 November 1926, Page 4

THE FRUIT CROP

A GENERAL REVIEW;

The Director of the Hoiticull; uro Division has received the followiug reports from his officers regarding orchard and marketing conditions at -the cud of October: — Auckland—Apples: Heavy bloom general. Leinous: In abundant sup,y y. Light to imxlium show of bloom. Nectarines: Light crop only set. C<\ld rains during blossoming period. Chances: Good spring growth; mediuiv show of bloom. Peaches; Most vanieties light set, Paragon full crop., Pears- P. Barry and Keifier medium set, others poor. Plums: Very liglWi set of English. Plums (Japanese): Light to medium; Xmas and Hybrids 1 full crop. Loganberry: Promise full crop Plantings have been considerably extended. Strawberries: Plants somewhat backward but promise full crop. Tomatoes: Glasshouse plantings increased about 30 per cent., medium crop. Outdoor now planting. Passion fruit: Plantations have increased. Good growth. Waikato— Apples: Show of blossom medium to heavy. Gooseberries: Medium Io heavy. Lemons: Good show oj blossom. .Nectarines: Light crop expected. Oranges: Good show of blossom. Peaches: Early flowering varieties poor setting, due to heavy rains; late flowering varieties fair setting. Pears: Heavy blossom; setting so far is fair. Plunis: Medium to light crop expected. Strawberries-: Promise of good average crops. Tomatoes: Glasshouse—Medium crops expect heavysupply; outside —plants are not so forward as usual. Gisborne. —Lemons: Poor. crop. Due ft> drv autumn, heavy spring frosts that; defoliated Lisbons. Nectarines: Good., setting. Oranges: Average. Checked by 1 , dry autumn. peaches: Good setting. 1 Clean, every appearance of good crop. Pears: Very heavy setting. Plums: Average. Plums (Japanese): Heavy. Strawberries: Showing well. Tomatoes: Some Ibss through lafo fiosts. Walnuts: lD Hawk?s Bay.—Apples: Good setting Generally. Delicious and Jonathan appear to be light in placesk Dougherty fiatchy. Apricots: Fair. Cherries and Gosoeberries:- Average. Nectarines: Average crop, but injury by frost reduced crop severely to places., PeachteS: Early sorts heavy; late varieties liglfter than usual. Some frost, injury. 1 Pears: Most varieties showing heavy evtting Plums: Fair crop 1 only. Hums. (Jap anese): Average, a 1 little frost wjury. Tomatoes; Heavy pointings. \ Wanganui.—Apples: Average luosvqming. Apricots: Short: crop. C'hsrties, Nectarines. Oranges, Peaches, Kfispberries and Walnuts: Short criyp. Gooseberries, Lemons. Pears and Stra-V; berries: Average. Plums: Short crof. Plums (Japanese): A verage. Tomatoes!,: Outdoor—Short crop; indoor-average-A very severe frost was experienced on 13th, which completely destroyed early outdoor tomato 1 plants. Manawatu and vvairarapa.—Apples: Majority at fruit! <et, others at calyx stage. Promise well for heavy crop. Apricots, nectariiieri. peaches, ami plums: At fruit set;, very light. Cherries: Well forward;'medium to light. Gooseberries: Well .forward; on light side owing to frost. Ptors: At: fruit set; heavy crop. Raspberries: liaflier backward, Strawberries: Rather backward; promise well. Tomatoes.*; Very backward The spring has b.ten very wet and cold, therefore the fi'pit crop as well as tomatoes and potatoes is very backward. Stono fruit trees ' blossomed well, blit owing to late frosts! tlie setting is very light: in some instances the trees are quite bare of fruit. Gooseberries also suffered badly from 1 frost injury. \ . Nelson. —Apples: The blooming! of apples was heavier than anticipated considering tho heavy crop of last yeljr.. In some instances Delicious, Cox’s, Joitathan, Stunner, and Statesman blossomed lighter. The setting appears to be normal except the Dunns, whicli promise* only a medium crop. Apricots: A better setting of apricots than has obtained for last three years, and a very fair crop is anticipated. Cherries: Fair to good. Gooseberries: A light crop showing. Lemons: Light, due to frost damage. Nectarines: Medium to good. Pears: All varieties blossomed heavily, and promise a good setting of fruit, except AVinter Nelis, which appear very light. Peaches: A medium crop. Plums: Fair to good. Plums (Japanese); Medium to good.’ Raspberries: Candition favourable, promise of a good crop. Strawberries: Plants looking well, with promiso of good crop. Tomatoes: Glasshouse crop backward owing to severe frost injury. Outdoor likely to be later owing’ to same, cause and subsequent variable weather conditions. Nelson Central.—Apples: Blossoming was approximately as heavy as last seaon throughout the district. Present indications point to a similar crop as the-, previous year. Black spot practically 1 nil where orehardists are on the alert with their spraying machines. Pqwdery mildew and black spot showing, up on neglected orchards. Pears: Tho setting of pears appears to be patchy again . this season, although the present indications point to a heavier crop than last year. Very little black spot showing at present. Motueka.—Apples: Heavy blossoming all varieties with exception cf Jonathan. This variety natchy. Appearances for heavy crop. Fruit setting well. Some Dunns falling. No black spot in evidence so far. Apricots: Poor. Heavy frosts and snow at blossoming period. Cherries: Blossoming very well, setting good. Gooseberries: Good. Bushes healthy and good crop set. Nectarines: Poor. Very little fruit owing to frosts and “now. Peaches: Setting very light due to bad weather at blossoming period. Pears: Heavy, with exception ot AV Nelis, which are very light. W.8.C., Vicars and Keiffers exceptionally Very little spot showing so far. Plums: Patchy. Good where not caught l>y frost. Raspberries: Canes looking very well. Promise of good crop. Strawberries;: Looking healthy and showing for average cron. Tomatoes: Outside, planting operations almost finished. Healthy-lookmg P Canterbury—Apples: All varieties have blossomed very heavily. Birds have taken heavy toll of Delicious buds in South Canterbury. Aprieots: A very crop of fruit set on almost all varieties Cherries: Blossomed very heavily, and good average crops set. Slight damage in few orchards from frost. Gooseberries: Crops promising; possibly slight damage hv frost Nectarines: Heavy crops appear to have set. Peaches: Crops somewhat patchy. Green aphis bad this season Pears: Heavy blossoming ahd apneßr to have set heavy crops. Plums: Almost all varieties promise heavy crops. Plums (Japanese): Heavy. RaspbeiTies, hear v^or l^^- V XZ hL and plants well forward. Wafnuts: Looking well: showing blister mite l “otago b am'l’ Southland-Apples: Ayer, neecrop. Dunn's and Jonathans light Xp where trees carried heavy crops season. Trees looking well. At Rpiuunont crop is very light owing to damage' to bulls by birds and to heavy rest during blossoming period. Aprilots; Short crop. Crop destroyed by blizzard when in blossom. It is estimated that this represents a loss of CIOOOO to Roxburgh growers. Cherries: Heavy crop. Trees looking -sell. Gooseberries. nectarines and walnuts: Avei*e crop Peaches: Heavy crop. Brown rot was in evidence at. blow ning.period ■>nd -i-ecn aphis is now making its api earn" ce Penrs: Average < rop. Trees a kin- well. At Beaumont short crop owing to frost. Plums: Average crop. Trees looking well. At Beaum mt crop a total loss owing to heavy frost. Plums (Japanese): Average crop, h roes looking well At Beaumont crop a total loss owing to heavy frost. Raspberries and strawberries: Heavy crop. Otago Central.—Apples: Very heavy blossoming. Prospects good uhere rpt fleeted bv frost <9 degrees) cn morning nf 13th which wiped out the whole cron in parts of tho district end thin nori it in some portions. Apricots: O n | v a negligible quantify loft after the' frost Prospect’ good where not. affected by frost. Nectarines:. Very Iw-h-v blossoming, extensive -njury by frost Peaches: Very heavy blossomin'* extensive injury' by frost. Pears

and plums: Very heavy blossom-ng, extensive injury by frost. Raspberries: Looking well. Strawberries: All first blossoms killed by frost. Tomatoes: Planting out next month. Walnuts: Only a negligible quantity left after the frost.