SUNNY NELSON REVISITED

Horowhenua Chronicle, 17 May 1916, Page 2

SUNNY NELSON REVISITED

(Written for Horowheiiua I>aily Chronicle). A former resident of Marlborough now residing in the North Island, paid a visit, in Easter week, to the Nelson province. During the last decade development of the city,' port and j u.vuiice -has been proceeding apace 'J 1e city council, hariiour board, chaui:."r (.1 commerce and A. and P. sooie f y are combining with the Waimoa County Council in harmonious and eyisAematic co-operation for the purpose of promoting fellowship and .union of effort for the comfort, convenience, health and prosperity of the whole community. Eaclf'Tocal body in its own sphere has been a genuine league of progress during recent veans, and the result of efforts meet the observant visitor on every hand. The writer's chief concern on "this occasion wa6 to see fh'e much-advertised APPLE COUNTRY of Moutere and Tasman. In the course of a motor ride some 70 miles were covered and the luxuriant crops of luscious fruit that greeted the eye was a real treat to behold. Passing over the Waimea country, (probably the oldest-settled farming land in New Zea'nnd) the car speeds swiftly up Rednvood's Valley, where many scores of acres are being "orchardised." Immediately after, the hillside road over the Moutere is encountered, and tlie sight of mile after mile of apple-bear-ing land in perfect condition is one of the prettiest views imaginable, in partiouilar, the writer was Btnick with the order and methodical arrangement of a block of several hundred acres fronting the main road, now being put on the market by Bieley Bros, and Co., of Neeon. When last seen in 1908 this land was covered witTi

STUNTED MANUKA AND GORSE, and outsiders were fond of contemptuously remarking that the Moutere bills were "too poor to £ee*l a rabbit." It had often been 'broadly stated that laudl similar to the Moutere was suitable tor apple-growing, but Bisley Bros, do nott simply tell their clients this—in so many words. Their modus operandi is to smm and clear the i.ind, ploughing dieeply with a subsoil plough, and then planting the choicest brands of apples. When the treeis are in fiili bearing and are demonstrated as a commercial success, tho Bieleys are prepared! to offer land which has passed beyond the experimental stage; prospective buyers may have ocular and gastronomical roof of the capacity of the Nelson soii and climate. The frontage of this particular block of apple-growing land is no less than seven miles, and '•he eye does not grow weary of the vista of luxuriant foliage. Over

• ONE MILLION APPLE TREES have been planted on the Aloutere hills j alone, practically the whole ~of which are mow in full bearing. No sheltertrees are needed in the genial Nelson climate; the breezes are gentle, kind, and beneficial. After a run of a ' >w miles through upper and Lower Moutere (although orchards are fairly numerous) the fruitgrowing Industry is mainly carriedi on -as a side line, Tisman North is reached, end the motor speeds through the heart" of~£he> three settlements promoted by the Taaraan Orchard Company. Although the mind of the visitor had been prepared for great development, tne growth of the Tasman country exceeded his most sanguine expectations. As previously stated, NO SHELTER BELTS of trees are needed, as the mildness of tlie clima/te is proverbial, but it woe noticed that quite a nuimfor of fruit farmers had utilised headlands and aiooks on their holdings to plant miniature forests 01 pinus rnsignis with a view to providing olose to tlie orchards ample supplies of timlber suitable for box-making, in the days (not so far distant) when the loca.il 'forests of white pine and kahikitea will have been cut out. Nelson province is ising to wealth on a foundation of applets. One of tlie wonders of life how opportunities may long lio neglected. It took Tarana;ki decades to discover the power ol the cow as a money-maker. Similarly, Nelson j>eople lived on for year after year close to groat areas ol iand given over to the growth of gorse and scriMiy manuka. which only needed tillage to make it fruitful. Now the wild growth ho® been swept away, and long lines of sturdy young apple trees hare taken tiheir place on thousands of acres, and have proved theinsejves

healthy dividend; earners. Needless to remark, the soil is not rich, but as is well-known this is not necessary for apple cuiture. The subsoil is mainly a light friable clay, combined with a slight mixture at tine 6and. This subsoil retains moisiture in a marvellous degree. During the past summer, rainfall was much below normal; unusually dry weather being ed throughout the season. in the app'o territory the trees maintained a health foliage and produced welldeveloped fruit. The so.il and 'Pirn ato of ?selsoii hre been kind to the fruit-growing industry, and. the result is manifest in the rich colour ot the fruit which positively glows among the foliage. Nature's work, through ages past, cannot be improvod upon. T't ha« been tho aim of the writer not to burden thfs article with wearisome figures, but one may be pardoned for quoting a few figures (procured from the Department of Agriculture) showing the development of the ORCHARD INDUSTRY in the Ncbon district during the iast i five yearn Increase in ' Acree. Acres. 1911 5,474 tfOO 1912 6,572 1.098 IMS 7,627 1,055 1914 9,177 1,550 1915 10,714 1,577 Total increase for 5 years 5,880 The drive home was taken via Ngatimoti and Dovedale, which districts, though noit essentially fruit-growing, are typical examples of Nelson's back country, the landscape being dotted aroundl with homesteads of thriving settlers who make a comfortable living on holdings where although "mixod"' farming is the rule the cow is tho principal money-maker. Tne final un down from DwednV 1 to Wakefield disclosed! many peeps ait vistas not" devoid of scenic beauty.