Ruined Apple Crops.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 21 January 1913, Page 4

Ruined Apple Crops.

RESULT OF WET AND WINDY SPRING.

The late apple crop in Manawatu district this season is practically a failure—in a number of individual cases it is completely so. This has been made strikingly evident by the investigations of a "Standard" reporter, who has visitedl several representative orchards.

"Soo," said one fruitgrower, pointing to an apple tree, "in other seasons T have been taking two or three hundred pounds' weight, 48? that tree; this year it won't yield a dozen pounds." The same condition applied to all tho winter apples, and not a few of tho pears, and this orchardist said that the present season was the worst lie had experienced for seventeen years. Ho had been a regular sprayer, using the lime, salt and sulphur solution every year, until last winter, when he gave red oil a trial. Ho is now inclined to the opinion that the red oil is an insecticide, hut not a bactericide — but that is bv theh wav. Tho pmcc-nt damage, it appears, is due principallv, tn the season circumstances, which the most perspicacious of weather prophets could not foresee. The oxroedincrlv wot. spring i« be 1 -! to be 'responsible For a groat spread of blights. inr.Turlin.fr fnnrriis. black snot and woollv aplm. The severe hailstorm that occurred in tho earlv part of the season also di<l much damage. Afanv fruit-form in sr blossoms were ruined, nnd later it was found that as the remninim? fruit commenced to set much, of it Tell to +ho ground. The Tower in quest;nn nointod out \rh"t is the common lot of orchardists, that thev hare to wage a continual wa.r against pests, which it requires their most .strenuous efforts to reduce in anv apprec'alil" dngroe. When there is a cessation from the spread of blights the producer has to turn his atten- , tion to the unwelcome visits of voracious birds. This year tho blackbirds are exacting a heavy toll from the pear trees spoiling a great deal of the fruit before it has time to ripen. Our informant said ho doubted whether he would make more than enough to pay rates this year, and ho was almost inclined to give up the business and dispose of the property for residential sites.