FRUIT GROWING SEASON.

Shannon News, 17 June 1924, Page 4

FRUIT GROWING SEASON.

PEST RAVAGES DIMINISHING. EXPORT CONDITIONS IMPROVED. The fruit-growing season which has ostensibly just closed—the last of the export supplies having been sent away > has been momentous one for some of the growers of the Dominions, inasmuch as great-strides have been made ip the eradication of some of the main pests which infest the orchards in this f district as well as in other centres. Although production declined to a large extent, the export figures show a marked increase over last season’s, this being due to the disease-being less belligerent on this occasion, and consequently easier to combat. Oil ihe.Markets.. Many ventures were made in the commercial departments of the industry, in the.extension of the export trade, and the testing of the Control Board which was instituted for tho supervision of the export of Dominion fruit lor English and other markets. During the period under review the first consignment of, New Zealand fruit was dispatched to the South American 'market, and from all reports received from the representative of tiie Dominion there, the product had reached its destination In good order, thdugh many growers consider it still a moot question as to whether this venture will be the success it was at first anticipated.

It is gathered from official statistics that up to the first week in May the exports from the Dominion, had reached 172,549 cases, and it is expected when the final return is made that this figure will be in the vicinity of 250,000 cases—approximately 100,COO more than last season. In the Manawatu and Wairarapa districts, states Mr W. J. Whelan, the inspector with headquarters dt Palmerston North, the production has fallen ’off as well as the exports. Last season, about S.OOO cases were exported, but this year the figure had dropped to, 5800.

In commenting generally upon the industry, Mr Whelan said last season the crop had Jaeen exceptionally heavy, though the disease had been very prevalent, but during the season just’concluded the trees was singul- 1 ax-ly free from disease, and thus ensured a greater proportion of good fruit. Iu the Manawatu. During the earlier part of the season, he said, the indications in this district were- for light crops in regard to apples, but this did not prove to bu the case in the majority of varieties, and Stunners were, very heavy in some cases the. grower-Securing .four Co? s fioiu a tree. Smnl f.uit crops had promised to be heavy, au*l would have been bed it not been for the dry season, which made the raspberries and - strawberries practically a failure. Tomatoes had been particular heavy, and little or 1 no spraying was required to ensure a clean crop. The black spot was not very much in evidence during the season, and was easily controlled by proper spraying according to the regulations, while a great many orchards were quite free of, the pest. Codlin Motli Prevalent. “The codlin moth w6s very prevalent,’’ stated Mr Whelan, “more so than for many years past, but this was due largely to the dry weather at the commencement of the season, and the growers failing to apply the arsenate of lead at the calyx stage. Many ;of them blamed the lead for this; but it is really in the spraying that the fault lay.” - The fire blight had during the year been got well in hand, and the trees which were in the Taranaki district—had been rooted out and destroyed.

During the season the apple hopper, another form of blight, had made its appearance in the Manawatu district. Tlie pcs,, was a small white fly, which attacked the green leaf, and was very hard to control, having worked its way light through the district from the Wairai’apa to the Manawatu sinox last season.

However, more interest was taken in this district in the blue gum scale, and Mr Whelan was pleased to say that the position concerning this pest was being much improved by the introduction of the lady bird beetle killer, the natural parasite of the scale. Those trees which < had been affected wore fast recovering their natural state, the parasite having done its work. This scale, continued Mr Wlielam, comiucnced its ravages in the Bulls distinct, and affected a large number of trees in the ltangitikei, ‘ extending over in the Wairarapa as far as Paliiatua, and'through the Manawatu. A Better Standard. One of the most important moves towards a better standardisation of the New Zealand fruit was the inti'oduction of the voluntary sticker systexxx, under which the fruit was graded under the supervision of a Government inspector, ensuring the public a fair deal in regard tc the quality of the product . The season, as far its the growers we v e concerned, had been a good one, for there was a big demand for fruit, in direct comparison to last year, when tijie local markets were flooded.