FRUIT BERSUS GOLD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 77, 21 May 1880, Page 3

FRUIT BERSUS GOLD.

» A correspondent writing to the Nelson Colonist, urges upon colonists to study fruit planting, and qnoles : — The following is taken from the Australischc Zeiiung, of January, and as figures are stubborn facts, your readers will draw their own conclusions. The above paper says :— " Tho amount of gold in Victoria, iv spite of all endeavors, decreases li-oni year to year, and according to returns just at hand, last year produced only 718,2080z5. In 1866 the amount was 1,536,5810z3, and from that time the decreases became laigei every year, and in 14 years it become more than half the former returns. As a matter of course the number of miners and workmen decreased in proportion. In 1866 their number was 75,749 ; in 1879 there are only 37,200, which means on the average £70 per man per year. This is a very sad result, and if it is considered that millions are invested in machinery, etc., every one will see that this industry can be no longer of any profit to the Colony." So much for gold. Now let us see what fruit and "such stuff" can do. I quote again from the same paper : — " The following particulars have been published about the fruit growing in the United States :— Twenty years ago the culture of fruit trees in America was in such a low state, that the Pomological Society, which was formed at that time, did not consider it worth while to collect data. However, after 1860 the planting began to assume larger proportions, and statistical returns shosvs that in 1876, 4, 500, 0(?0 acres were planted with fruit trees, grape vines, and small fruit, naraely, 112 millions of apple trees, 28,260,000 of pear trees, 112,270,000 of peach trees, and 141,260,000 of grape vines, which gave the folloowing returns : — Apples. 40,000,000 dollars ; pears, 14,131,000 dols ; grapes, 2,180,900 dols ; strawberries, 500,000 dols; and other small fruit — such as gooseberries, raspberries, currants,&c. — 10,432,800d015. California alone, independent of grapes and raisons, produced ten millions gallons of wine. The total production of wine in the United States was more than fifteen millions."