ORCHARD METHODS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 7, 23 January 1937, Page 5

ORCHARD METHODS

Advance of Fruit-Growing in England WHAT MR PAYNTER SAW . ■ .irtt An insight into English. firuitgrowing methods was given to Hawke's Bay oi'Qhftrdists last night by JVlr, Reiph Paynter, Hawke's Bay Government member, on the Now Zealand Fruit Control Board, and a past president of the Hawke's Bay Fruitgrowers' Assoeiation, when he addressed members of the assoeiation in the Oddfellows' flall. Mr, Paynter has but reeently returned from an extended visit to Great Britain and the Qontinent, and during his stay in England he took such ppportunities as qffered of garnering infprmation about oroharding in tbe Old Uountry, In his introductory remarks, Mr, Paynter emphasised that he had made no serious investigations into the English industry, but, in the eourse of his trip he had made eertain observations wlxich he thonght would interest his feljow-rgrowers. There were 100,000 aores under fruit in England, Kent ajone possessing 84,000 acres, continued Mr. Paynter. One was inplined to have wrong impressions of the industry at Home, and he admitted that what he saw was a surprise to him. NOT OUT OF PATE "I was inclined to think that 1 would find the industry out of date," commented the speaker, •'and although the industry generally is not so up-to-date as in New Zealand, they are gradually: inxproving their methods. One prominent grower aoknowledged that the improvement was due to the example 8qt them by the Dominions." The owners of the big orchards had adopted most up-to-date methods. Of course, the visitor was shown the best orchards, just as was the case in New Zealand, but he saw 'some very nice orchards, and their methods of handiing were quite up-to-date. Mr, Paynter outlined some of the various systems adopted -in Englsh orcharding. Some orchards, ' for example, had the portable pipe system for spraying, the pipes being sbifted from plot to piot. Ordinary pipe methods were also adopted. The automatic portable sprayer intrigued Mr. Paynter. These had three spray guns mounted on tbe back, and this enabled spraying in a day, The pest trouble- was not so serious as it was in New Zealand, and this automatic system enabled a good commercial degree of control to be maintained. The cover, however, was not so satisfactoi'y whiere large trees wero concerned, English oulti'vation methods were not sq. up-to-date as in New Zealand. In some orchards they were going in for the permanent pasture style of orcharding, with grass rows in between the trees, partjcularly with the coloured varieties, and, with these varieties, much better oolour was being obtained. Suoh practice, however, was not possible with cookers, a.s eolour was not wqnted, SYSTEMS OF ORCHARDING f

There were three or four different systems of qrcharding, and the cordon system was fMrly extensively adopted. The system was, he was quite satisiied, in a place like. England, if the cqst of installation could be afforded) and all extra-fancy fruit was grown, a most satisfactory system. The trees were all grown closely together — 2000 to 2600 treec to the acre trained up on wires, With this system it was held rtbat it was quite easy to bring the trees into bearing in the third year, Tbe yield was from a half to three-quarters of a busbel per tree. Other methods adopted were the bnsh system, under which 6(00 trees were planted to the acre, the trees being comparatively small and on special stook, and the standard (old type) and half-standard systems. Referring to the East Norfolk district, wlxich he visited on a tour arranged by the National Farmers' Union, Mr. Paynter said that East Norfolk grew large areas of blaek currants, in addition to other fruxts, with 2000 acres under this crop. The currants were grown quite etensively aoxong the young trees, as was sugar beet, whioh 'was heavily subsidised by the British Government. The average currant production was 30 cwt. to the acre, and the price averaged over the past ten years was £38 per ton. Large areas of strawberries were also grown, with 4,500 acres under cultjvation, and good results were being obtained. "The two most popular applo varieties are Cox's Orange and Bramley's Seedlxng and these two are in excejlent demand at Hoxne, the latter variety making qp to 25/- a bushel," said Mr. Paynter, who mentioned that with gas storage becoming aiore popular, there was a possibility that the Branxlev would compete with the New Zealand cookers in the early part of the New Zealand geasqn. However, it did not appear that this variety was standing up to gas storage very well this sanson, Large quantities of a fine appetxranced Worcester apple were also grown, but personally he did not think it was a first class eater. MARKETING METHODB. "All up-to-date growers are marketing their fruit in the Canadiaa-type case," said the speaker in answer to an inquiry. ' ' There are still large quantities marketed in the bushel and half- bushel baskets, but the opinion is that within a few years the basket will be a thing of the past." Tp another questioner, Mr. Payntei said that he thonght gas storage of fruit was quite px-acticable, anfi the results at Home showed that he fruit was kept in better condition than was the case with ordinax-y cool storage. "Whether the time xs yet ripe to adopt it in New Zealand, I cannot say," he continued, "but the apples that are gas stored are fresher and better flavoured. " Mr. Paynter mentioned that at Home the gas storage was confined prineipally to the Cox's Orange and Braoxley's Seedling varieties, and, as yet, the same results could not be obtained froa»

every variety. "I do say, though, that gas storage gives a better class of apple, " he remarked, and expressed the opinion that, although gas storage would pexifiit fruit to be held Qver for a long period, he did not think it would threatexx New Zealand, except for the early cooking varieties. Referring to the National Mark scherne in England, the speaker said that some of the growers he had seen who were in the scheme had had very satisfactory results. At the eonclusion of his address, Mr. Paynter answered a number of questions, and, on the motion of Mr. J. E. Melling, was aceorded a hearty vote of thanks.