POWDERY MILDEW IN FRUIT CROP.

Shannon News, 4 December 1928, Page 3

POWDERY MILDEW IN FRUIT CROP.

PEACHES AND DELICIOUS APPLES SCARCE.

.Just returned from a survey of the fruit crop of the Manawatu and. Wairarapa districts under his jurisdiction, Mr J. W. Whelan, Departmental instructor, of Palmerston North, reports that powdery mildew has taken a fairly heavy toll of fruit this season. This applies more to home orchards than it does to the commercial ones and emphasises the fact that if people want, to grow their own fruit successfully, spraying must be undertaken at the proper time that is from what is known as the first bud movement until the fruit sets.

Gooseberries this year are not so plentiful, states Mr Whelan. However, those who. were supplying the market realised better prices than last season. The cherry crop had turned out a fair one with an absence of cracking as a result of better weather conditions, and less brown rot) than usual.. On the whole, however, stone fruits will be scarce in the Manawatu and Wairarapa with practically no peaches in spite of the fact that the trees had blossomed heavily. .Pears promised well, reported Mr Whelan.

Apples had proved rather disappointing. Stunners had set heavily, but the much appreciated Delicious apple would be very scarce. Other varieties were patchy.