The Growing of Apples.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 17 March 1910, Page 4

The Growing of Apples.

AN EXPERT'S OPINiONi

NEW ZEALAND OFFICIAL'S VISIT TO TASMANIA.

Mr F. R. Hallam, the Government orchard inspector of the Nelsnn, district, who was sent to Tasmania by the Department of Agriculture to learn the method# adopted in that State for grading and packing apples for export, returned to Nelson on Thursday morning, after nearly four weeks' absence from the Dominion. ORCHARDS VISITED. ■ Interviewed yesterday by a "Colonist" reporter, Mr Hallam said that while in Tasmania lie visited all the principal orchards in the Huon and New Norfolk districts, and went through the large packing and grading sheds at Franklyn and Hobart. While there the first shipment this season oi Tasmatnian apples to London was made, some 7,000 cases being sent by the steamer Osterly. This shipment was closely followed by two others —the Suevic, with -18,000 cases, and another steamer with 17,000 cases. AN IMMENSE CROP. In Tasmania this year there are, said Mr Hallam, immense crops of fruit everywhere, and the quantity to be exported is estimated at between two and three million cases. Mr Hallam stated that for every acre of fruit 'now in bearin • there are over nftecn acres planted in young trees that will come into crop in another five or six years. Mr Hallam, who is a native of Hobart, noticed preat changes in the country districts. Land that was in heavy bush a few years ago has been cleared, and planted out in orchard. Some of the Jarge orchards visited were from 150 to 200 acres in extent, but time did not permit a visit to the oast coast, where some of the largest orchards in the State arc to be seen. In five or six years time Tasmania growers expect to export between twenty alul thirty million cases of a poles every year. While in Tasmania Mr Hallam received every assistance from the Government orchard inspectors and fruitgrowers, alnd everything that was possible was done for him. GBADING. In regard to the grading of apples Mr Hallam found that tho Tasmanian growers were not nearly so particular as they might be— in fact, the fruit was not any better graded than it was five years ago. Of course in some, cases it was graded much better. While visiting the Huon, Mr Hallam saw the new Lomax grader at work, and purchased one on behalf of the Government, which lie has brought back with him. The grader has proved a great success, and the inventor, Mr Lomax, of Huon, is kept hard at work in supplying the demand for the machine. which is being sold at £27. One man, besides feeding the grader, hailing, branding, and stacking the cases, can keep five men fully employed packing the apples. The output from one machine is about 2000 cases per day. It had been the intention of the department to make a small charge for the use of the grading machine, but Mr Hallam has been informed by Mr Kirk, director of orchards, that no charge is to be made this season, but if the fruitgrowers' associations in this district wish they can have it free of charge on payment of transit expenses from place to place. TASMANIAN* APPLES. The Tasmanian apples, in the opinion of Mr Haliam, were not so well coloured as those grown in the Nelson district, and they were not as mature as those he saw here before leaving for Tasmania. New Zealand, he considers, is about a fortnight earlier than Tasmania, and should be able to make the first shipments at least two weeks before the first lot leaves Hobart. Mr Hallam brought back with him several cases of apples, • 'ircbased on the wharves all ready for export, the varieties being Cox's Orange, Jonathan, and Rihston Pippins. WRAPPING. In regard to the wrapping, the Tasmanian growers are using plain paper, similar to that used by Calii'ornian growers, with a little wood wool—not too much—at the top anil bottom of the cases. The ordinary dump eases—all the same size- are the only ones used. CULTIVATION. In both the New Norfolk and Huon districts Mr Hallam noticed the evidence of want of cultivation in the orchards. As a corseoiience the trees would suffer greatly in the dry seasons. In New Zealand far greater attentio nwas paid to tli matter of cultivation. In many orchards in Tasmania -the trees had suffered greatly, a,nil the fruit was dropping o(F the trees. Had the moisture been conserved there would have been found iu many orchards fruit much more advanced and of a better colour. Of course the practice of cultivation was followed by some orchanlists, but many did not appreciate the advantages that would accrue from working the land. As to this year's crop in Tasmania, Mr Hallam said the fruit was good, and of excellent flavour, although, in most places, on the small side. There was undeniable evidence of too little thinning The growers bad evidently gone in for numbers, and in consequence the size and value of the fruit had suffered. FREE FROM PESTS. The. orchards Mr Hallam foiwul very clean on the whole, the growers taking great pains to keep the various pests to which the trees are subject in ebeel}. Ninety-eight per* cent, of the trees were clean, and there was very little codlin moth or black spot. A remedy which Tasmanian growers have found most effective in dealing with the codlin moth and fungus diseases is the Max spray, a few samples of which Mr Hallam has brought with him for experimental purposes.