FRUITGROWING IN THE NORTH.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 16, 12 February 1909, Page 4

FRUITGROWING IN THE NORTH.

A OOOl) SEASON. Auckland, Mondety. The expansion of Auckland's, lYuit trade during recent seasons lias biecu phenomenal, and this season the outnmt lias been particularly good. -Much of the. North is particularly adapted for friro'teulture, and the conversion of poor grim land into remunerative, orchard are sis has been steadily progressing. .Ii cit what success can be achieved in 11 lis respect (says the Star) is evidenced Iby the results'secured at Waerenga, where (he Government has converted sonic hundreds of acres of waste gum lam is into splendid fruit - growing cotmtr V, which will shortly be subdivided in! '.o model farms and sold or leased to tho; «• " desirous of taking up orchard work as a means of livelihood. When the mode/: orchard system is put into active opera- | lion at Wat rcnga a canning factory will, j oe established and an impetus given to. : fruit-growing in the Waikato. where ther i industry has already secured a good; j fooling.' Whangarei is another splendidly fruit-growing centre, and the present Minister for Railways, during his tour ' of the Xorth this week, was'much impressed with the potentialities of the. district in this respect, and wherever- . the Minister stopped eu route, rich and.', luscious fruit was encountered in un- ; limited quantities. The season for ,: apples, peaches, nectarines, and other- ~ stone fruit seems to have been a splen- ; did one in the Xorth, and the grape* , IUO give promise of being a. record crop- '• this season. The Henderson and Waite - , uinta districts have also experienced, j splendid fruit sca-on-, though the crops., of English and Japanese plums have not- \ [liein quite, as good as usual; apple-:,: pears, and stone fruits, as well as. ■ • rapes, will give splendid returns. The 'trawberry season has also been one of , the best 'on record. The. Xurlh has. gradually been improving its shipping" , trade ill fruit with the South. Unfoi- . liinatclv, tho through service by ra'l- '• ,between Auckland and Wellington will: .ouie too latro to be of any great lo .Northern Irnit-grivwiug this season,. : but a very large business has, uoverUi" ; less, been, mmducted'. and Ihe Railway.j Ui partinctil has so far handled some, ■III.DIII) boxes of fruit this season. .Most- , of this wenfi. South, and much larger,; quantities iverc shipped to Wellington.: ' bv East Coyast boats. H is estimated..; that fully. 200 tons goes South I rum I Auckland, each season. Next year, when ; the U-iaity-hiMitv railway service Willi, j Wellington is -.possible, growers will snip■ . larger quantities of perishable truit. : South, aiul it is certain that the Iran*- ; port of strawberries, which has hitherto- ( been almost prevented by the frequent, , handling and time entailed in the journey by,'boat, will next season reach, a. largely increased volume.