FRUIT GROWING.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5463, 30 September 1878, Page 2

FRUIT GROWING.

TO TUB EDITOR OF TUB NEW ZEALAND TIMES. Sin, — From time to time wo read homilies iu the press as to the want of fruit in Wellington, and the desirability of growing it in sheltered situations in tho interior. In the early clays of the colony excellent fiuit was grown within the boundaries of this city, and what wns done then can surely be done again. Two reasons have probably chiefly acted to check the growth of fruit. The first is the blight which attacked the apple trees, and the leech-like insect which destroys the leaves of plums, cherries, and pears. The second reason is the pilfering by small boys. People got tired of growing fruit when tho crop was generally stolen before it was ripe. As neither of these causes is peculiar to Wellington they are no doubt capable of being remedied. It is not, however, to be disputed that the high winds of tho locality have a deterrent effect upon the fruit grower, as the blossoms and fruit may both be blown off, and the hopes of the season destroyed. I have a plan to obviate this difficulty, for which I have thought of taking out n patent, as that is a

mode of money-making much in fashion : but on second thoughts I have determined, wifch great generosity, to give my plan to the public, a step which I hope it will duly appreciate. Here it is. If you want to grow fruit in Wellington build a garden wall ! I should like to know how much fruit would be grown in Knglaud, or even in a large part of France, without the shelter of a wall. In olden times the settlers were too poor to go to this outlay, but now there are many who could stand the expense. This improvement would also reduce to a minimum the chances of pilfering. I would al&o suggest that the system of root pruning should be generally adopted, and the trees kept small, so that they might be readily treated for blight, and I would recommend that a number of volumes of Rivers’ small book on the subject should be imported by our booksellers, so that the public may understand the root pruning process. As far back as the year 1846 apples, pears, plums, cherries, &c M of excellent quality, were grown in Wellington, and the winds were certainly as high then as they are now. Grapes quite equal to those grown in a green-house, the vine trained horizontally, can be grown in Wellington • with a northern exposure and under the shelter of a wall to protect the vines from the sun and wind.—l am, &c., An Ancient Settler,