Fruit Growing.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 303, 27 June 1895, Page 3

Fruit Growing.

'• The. following letter appeared in the Wanganui Chronicle from Mr J. Mayo, Government Pomologist : — I haye it on the best authority that a Dunedin firm import annually from Tasmania 150 tons of raspberry pulp alone in barrels for the purpose of jam manufacture. New Zealand produces practically nil- Now, when we take into consideration tbat New Zealand is equally as good a raspberry growing country as Tasmania, and that we are of the same race of people, we ought to be able to grow and sell raspberries ior factoryrequirements as cheaply as our neighbours, instead of which, what do we find ? Raspberry jam of New Zealand manufacture, made by enterprising New Zealand firms and put into jars of New Zealand manufacture placed on the market, and these firms say, " We wish we could get our supplies grown in this ; country, we could sell a better article at the same price." I consider too many are struggling to produce butter, &c, that could more profitably employ their time in cultivating small fruits for preserving. I might mention raspberries and black - currants particularly, as these two are always in great demand. It has been stated that £100,000 is annually sent out of New Zealand for fruit that can be grown here. No need to look for foreign markets when we cannot produce enough at present for ourselves.