FRUIT PROSPECTS

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 139, 10 December 1930, Page 6

FRUIT PROSPECTS

THE MOTUEKA DISTRICT

(From Our Own Correspondent.) XELSOI\ T, 9!;£i December. Xfr. George Stratford, of the Departihent of Agriculture, states that the fruit «t«ps in the Molueka district this year, are looking exceptional!}- -well. There is Tcr'y little disease, and up to the preteat no black spot showing on apples. Mr. Stratford attributes these good conditions to the fact that more care and attention is being given to the orchards in the way of pruning, spraying, manuring, and-: cultivation. Regarding manuring and cultivation, much more has been done in this direction thau in past seasons. Deeper cultivation has been practised, thus releasing a quantity of potential plant food that otherwise would have been dormant. This, with other manures, Has given a, much better general appearance to the trees." There are' "slight traces of black spot on pears; and if the infection does not increase the affected fruit could' be eliminated at thinning time. v The majority of varieties fire carrying' a heavy set; but in places Dunns and Delicious are patchy. Cox's Orange Pippin are exceptionally heavy, although there is a chance of a drop in the near future. On present appearance, and considering that more young trees are commencing to bear, Mr. Stratford considered that the crop -would be quite as abundant as last season, when 277,000 cases were oxported from Port Motueka. Red mite, one of the worst pests to contend with, is not quite as bad this year as last;' Tout Mr. Stratford advises orchardists to keep a good look-out, and if trees become badly infested in the new year, with the advent ol' the dry, warm weather, advantage should he taken of oil spraying during the early part of January. . .-Crops-of stone fruit in the Motueka district, it was stated, are only .medium, and unfortunately'there is a fair-amount of. dropping taking place. Cherry trees are carrying a. largo crop of "good quality fruit, and little brown rot is showing. Kcking is now in .-progress.. Strawberries .are quite..up; to jtbe average.' and .good crops are behig harvested. Raspberries, generally speaking, are not coining up to expectations:- ■ Currants and gooseberries are plentiful,- and the. bushes-are'exceed-ingly healtby.