EARLIER START FOR FRUIT EXPORT

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 64, 8 December 1937, Page 4

EARLIER START FOR FRUIT EXPORT

Hawke's Bay Orchards Are Cropping Well EFFECTS OF WET WEATHER x "The present .humid weather has created conditions favourable to black spot afiecting orchards, and growers will have to take precautionary measures once the weather cleaxa again," said' Mr N. J. Adamson, Orchard Instructor of the Department of Agriculture, Hastings, this morning. Mr Adamson mentioned that growers had been troubled for some weeks now ' with black spot, thouglx the disease so far had been confined mainly to tne foliage of Dougherty apples. "With incessant spraying it has been possible to keep the fruit free of disease, and generally the ontbreak has been kept well xn cheek so far," he said. "The prevailing conditions, however, will aggravate the trouble, and ifc will De necessary for orchardists to appljr preventive sprays immediately thf weather clears." The spray recommended by Mr Adamson was lime sulphur in proportions of one to 150, plus 21bs. of colloidal sulphur to 100 gallons of water, Apart from the effect on preventing fungus diseases, ineluding black spot and powdery mjldew, this combinatxQn spray had a partieularly beneficial effect in checking red mite. Increage in tbi» last-mentioned disease, he pointed out, was not so marked as where lime sulphrar, or the free forms of sulphur, were used. - ' ' OrcHards do not appear to be suffering from the moderately dry conditions prevailing," added Mr Adantson. "Apparently the rest the trees enjoy ed last season as the result of th# disastrdus frost has meant ah accumulation of the vigour which is hO manifetet this season in the good growth and healthy foliage. Notwithstanding the fact that in most varieties the trees are carrying crops above the average, o; normal, "it is not expected that th« fruit will be small," he said. When touehing briefly upon export matters> he said that there was a substantial crop of Gravensteins to b* exported this year from this district, and, in consequence, it was anticipated that the export trade would be commenced earlier than has been the case ixx most seasons. "I am anticipating that Gravensteins should be Teady'for handling towards the end of January," he said. The opening of the season usually takes place about the second week in February.