TULIP GROWING

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 2, 25 August 1931, Page 3

TULIP GROWING

EXPORT TRADE MEMBER OF DUTCH TULIP FIRM THINKS "N. Z." COULD DEVELOP INDUSTRY. "HOLLAND OF THE SOUTH." According to Mr. Peter Van Waveren of Sassenheim, Holland, member of a well-known Duteh firm of tulip merehants, who is at present on holiday in Rotorua, New Zealand might become the Holland of the Southern hemisphere so far as tulip production is concerned, if the proper steps were taken to obtain retarded •stoek, to develop the industry along scientific lines, and to open up mark-' ets which he considered undoubtedly existed in Australia, South Africa and South America. Stressing* the value of the tulip trade to Holland, Mr. Van Waveren in an interview with the "Post," expressed the opinion that New Zealand was the only eountry in the Southern hemispheie with a suitable climate for tulip growing. If a proper foundation of stoek was obtained which would produce saleable bulbs at a reduced price, and eliminate the weakening caused by the importation if un-acclimatised stoek, h'e thought that an overseas trade might be built up which would yield a considerable revenue to New Zealand growers. At the same time, Mr. Van Wavern stressed the necessity for developing really sound stoek in the eountry and for cultivating the bulbs along scientific lines. At present there were comp-aratively few tulips grown in" New Zealand and before a stoek suitable for export could be developed, certain definite lines of cultivation must be adopted. A certain amount of marketing education was also necessary, for at present there was no uoubu that. tulips were not nearly so popular with the public as they were in England and on the Continent. This was due, he thought, not so much . to a lack of appreciation, as to the high prices and to the difficulties in cultivation. Both of these handicaps could be removed, however, if the -problem of tulip growing on a large scale was properly attacked, and care was taken to produce only the best bulbs.

Too Many Gff-sets. At present, the chief difficulty in tulip growing, so far as New Zealand was ^concerned, was that the bulbs broke up into too many off-sets after flowering, and as a result, were poor in quality and had to be cultivated for a period of anything up to three years before they were of saleable size. The cause of this exeessive break"ng up in the bulbs was the foreing of their growth due to the change of climate. Bulbs would leave Holland in September and arrive in New Zealand in October or November. They would be planted in December just xs the New Zealand hot season com•nenced, with the result that th'ek aormal period of flowering would be considerably advanced and they would pei'haps ftower s'.x xnonths before the oeriod when they would have done so f they had "not been transplanted from Holland. The result of this forc'ng was that when the bulbs divided into off-sets, :nstead of breaking up into perhaps four pieces as wouid normaliy be the -.ause, they would break up into as many as twenty. This was altogethe? exeessive and had the effect of weaken ng the bulbs and deterioratng the stoek which developed from dxe off-sets. t With bulbs noimaily developed in Holland and expoxted to New Zeaand, this breaking up was a}most unxvoid'ahle ow'ng to the change in the otation of the seasons, and once it !%ad taken place, it was very d'fficult .o eliminate its wealcening effect and nxltivate hulbs up to saleable size. Retarding System. At first sight, this appeared to pre--,ent an insurijjountable difficulty, but actually under modern cultivation methods it could be easily avoided. Growers in Holland had discovered a method of retarding bulbs for export, and these ,if they arrived in New Zea'and about Mareh or April, would fiower the following Spring in the normal way. These retarded bulbs. owing to the fact that their flowerng period had been artificially adiusted to the new conditions, did not split up into a large number of offsets and would continue to fiower egularly if properly cultivated. The clock had been set back for their flowering and they were consequently not forced when they were planted in New Zealand. This system of retarding had been ■•arefuliy tested and proved to be„ enSirely satisfactory for overseas conditions but owing to the extra cost mvolved, it did not pay Dutch growers to treat bulbs in small quantities of the various varieties by this system. The most that they coxxld do would be to supply first shipments which would give growers a foundation stoek from which to develop their own supply. So far as his own observations had gone, Mr. Van Waveren considered that the climate of the North Island of New Zealand and the length of its seasons would be very suitable for tulip growing. New Zealand was forbunate in this respect for in Australia, South Africa, and South America, ihe summers were too hot. The retard'ng system had already been tried w'th hyacinth bulbs exported from Holland to New Zealand, and had proved entirely satisfactory. The successful cultivation of tulips, according to Mr Van Waveren, is chiefly dependa'nt upon climate, although soil properties and drainage are also very important. A cloggy soil or one which holds moisture 'n suspension, is useless for tulip 'growing, The ground in which the bulbs are planted must be friable, that is, it must allow moisture to pass quicldy through it, otherwise the roots would rot and die. Growers' Cost. The effect of cultivating saleable bulbs of good quality in New Zealand, Mr. Van Waveren pointed. out, wonld be to lower the cost of the bulbs to the general public, while if a good stoek was available for purchasers, many of the difficulties arising from the planting- of poor bulbs would be eiiminated. . Another disastrous effect of the exeessive breaking in the bulbs was that the flowers developed a streaky colouring technically known; as "breaking." The aim. in tulip cultivation, was to produce an eve j eolour in.Um flowers, but if the bufijB were weakened through early fh;£

o-ng, it v',is found that off-sets from this stoek;, when they came to flower, -nroducpd Weaked colouring. However, Mr. Vi--n Waveren added, the cause of "L- 'eaking" was open to question and theve were other causes to which it;.' could \e attributed. "The deiAlopment 'of\i tulin industry in New Zealand, Mr Van Waveren considered, {would undoubtedly brlng about the e'mployment of a certain number of nhen. Tulips could ' be g^own in Yi.mnaratively small, although inter.Av, y cultivated areas, and during tho oxltivating season; reouired caref u! '• 'ealing and supervision. This was recessarily work . which had to be carn -d out to\a exfcent by xnanual lahowr, number of people were the tulip gardens in Hdllano^^^^^^^H as in the other ramiflcati^|H^^^^H trade, and a large 'sum brought the that the o