THE FRUIT CROPS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 55, 27 November 1937, Page 16

THE FRUIT CROPS

» ■ — R — ^ ■ Over-Supply Unlikely In Central Otago 4 "

VALUE 0F FIRE -P0TS Latest reports from Central Otago state that there is unlikely to be any over-supply of stone fruits during the coming season, and that the crops of apricots and .greengages in particular will be on the light side. The crops of cherries will be heavy in some districts and light in others, this following on the fact that frosts damaged the crops in some localities and not in others. There should be good returns in all districts from the peach and nectarine trees, but the .crops will not be heavy. The plum trees in the' Central are ' showing plenty of blossom, but the fruit has not set up well, and it looks as if these crops will also be on the lightside. 1 The apple and Bon Chretion pear trees have also been affected by frost in a number of districts. It is not expecjted that the returns from r the apple orcbards will he as good as those of last year.

The planting of tomatoes is not as heavy in Central Otago as in other years. This also applies to the Canterbury district. The smaller' area follows on the extra cost of lahour in the handling of the tomato crops. Generally speaking the orchardists in Central" Otago have had an arduous tune. In some instances orchardists who have frost-flghting equipment in their orchards have had to light these fire pots on several occasions during the season. Those orchardists who have had to light their fire pots on tWo or three occasions only can be deemed to be fortunate. There is no doubt that the orchardists who have Ure pots realise that their crops would have suffered seyerely in their absenco, .as without them there is little doubt that they would have lost practically the whole of their crops. Those growera who have not equipped their orchards with fire pots have lost the greater part of their crops, and to illustrate the great value of frost-fighting equipment orchardists who have only equipped part of their orchards with the. pots have saved the crops in this area and lost them ir. the remaining area. In one instance a cherry grower had 100 fire pots in his orchard instead of 200, and he claims that if he had had the larger number he would have made a 100 per cent. save instead of half that percentage. It is understood that' the Government is experimenting with hot air plants for combating frost, but it would seem that in the meantime the firepots are the most effective method of meeting the menace of frost. The experience of the orchardists in '.Central Otago would go to show that fire pots. are just as important an equipment in the sueeessful operating of their farins as spraying plants. The value of fire pots is being iucreasingly realised by orchardists, and their use is becoming more general every season.