IMPRESSIONS OF A VISITOR

Motueka Star, Volume IV, Issue 145, 9 January 1903, Page 5

IMPRESSIONS OF A VISITOR

W. O. Nation, proprietor of the Levin Farmer, who lately paid a visit to this district, has published an account of his trip. Speaking of the Riwaka district, Mr Nation says : ‘ On every hand are gardens, just now rich in 'colour, orchards weighted with all varieties of fruit, and many hop plantations. The soil and the shelter of the western hills are most favorable to 'fruitgrowing, and one soon discovers that small fruits are being extensively cultivated. Riwaka and neighboiing districts have become famous for production of small fruits. iu 1902 there passed over the Motueka whai-f for Nelson and Wellington 47,000 eases of fruit, each case weighing 401 b ; and of this quantity 28,248 cases were despatched during January, February, and March, when the fruit season was in full swing. The estimated yield of raspberries alone for this season is 400 t >ns, and black and red currants — especially the former—are being grown extensively. Fruit is now conveyed to Wellington direct from Motueka every Tuesday by the s.s. Manaroa. This saves loss of time in touching at Nelson and Picton, and I suspect that the Nelson tradesmen will lose business in consequence for the country people will get supplies fx-om the Empii-e city. The fruit is consigned to the Fresh Food and Ice Company, in hundredweight casks and 151 b buckets, and is distributed throughout Wellington city and country districts. Recently the Motueka Co-operative Fruitgrowers’ Company was formed, with a capital of .£ISOO in <£l shai-es, and the other day the company opened its newly erected factory, which is 100 ft long by 40ft wide, exclusive of engine i-oom. The company has secured patent rights to , use the sulphuring process for the f whole of the Nelson district, also for pulping ; and its object is to get a systematic distribution of fruit and prevent the market being glutted. The surplus will be pulped. Large quantities of gooseberries have been shipped, and more are on the way. Black and red currants ai-e coming forward, and immense quantities of raspberries will follow all thx-ough this month. Later on the larger fruits will be carefully graded and sent on. I had the pleasure of being driven round Riwaka, and in all directions were ox-chards laden with young fruit—cherries, apples, pears, quinces, apricots, plums, nectarines, peaches, and even figs. Of the small

fruits l'&sp berries and currants predominate. Then there were the hops twining up the poles, which will be picked in March. It is the same at Motueka, Upper and Lower Moutere, Dovedale, Ngatimoti, Fangatotara and Sandy Bay, and all these places are identifiee with the Fruitgrowers’ Society, which has been x - egistered under the Industrial and Pxovident Societies Act ; and the i-ules provide fox 1 pickling and preserving vegetables, canning fruits, exporting poultry, etc., m the glorious future.”