Gardening Notes.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume I, Issue 2731, 22 October 1887, Page 2

Gardening Notes.

Onr of the most useful reports, and ouo which should prove of great, moment to the North Island ; of. New Zpaland, is that just presented to Parliament by Mr G. E. Aldertoj, on "Vineculture, etc,"in America. JFroro the report we can gather that the writer has not only an extended knowledge, but an earnest, honosfc, Zealand sympathy with bis subject. Ho states that the practical conclusion to which ■■ he has come from his enquiries: is this: That just precisely what they can do in California in re«ard.to fruit oulture we can do here, at least in the northern parts of New Zealand, with these differences: That we must substitute the American native grape for the European, which is almost exclusively in cultivation: in California. The necessity for this alteration is caused by the difference in rainfall, California having a dry climate while /.we have a comparatively wet one; but the difference is not to ourdetriment,since land is only valuable in California for Unit-culture where it can. be irrigated, while here, nature affords the necessary moisture,-and all ourlands .are equally valuable." ■" Further on Ee'fifateß '•— " We only want the fact, denKJrisiratetd that we can do heie iyii|t tjfoy. dp. jn j California, It roraai&B %iih the

n - '.nujuuimii'iiiM ,i»i..ui.LiiMv»mMi.iJ»»»«»«»»aw>. •■ Government to- do; it." : The. annual value of the Califorhiari fruit crop is J2,000,000, : and, whe"h it is considered .thattbVgrw..bulk.of this'-uuiount is the .product thousands of small who are settled ■ • ' on'the M/'uiidlOff- tigli, way to prosperity,, the iiiiraense *4jjpf'; ; of Buchaa.industry to.tliKStatd once apparent." •It has been depion.stra'ted to.qur sa'tisfaotion.-thatL'grapjW '...■■■_■ can be grown in and around Ma'stertbh. by any'persons':liayibg v .sult'ablo; land, •. and who will take, ."tup'. neeesaafy -''. _• trouble to acquaint themselves wth the: requirements; ■ Last.... jeason, nearly Lai' - a-. ton . oi grapes wag gathered off one-eighth of an acre of s vines. Supposing those grapes to sell at sixpence per.pound, it ■ would. realise at the rate of about' £lO(Lh '" the acre) surely this should be Egg ' cient to induce those -hairing suiteow localities to plant a piece with vines, be it ever so small, This is; a young ■ country, and its puoplo are- scarcely yet alive to its capabilities. This crop too was gathered from-European vines, (Yitis Yinifera) what tlio > Yankee calls hot • bouso-. grapes, the. Aroerican'native, yijiefiv.bjgng 1 so much hardier, and will stauilfy&e - considerable amount of frbs|s<rVl.t' ■ must bo understood ..that'a haphszal'd; • ' purchase of American vines must not, \.; • under any circumstances, be resorted" 1 to, as a very considerable quantity of ■. f lhem r have procumbent or reflected ' i stamens, and therefore unable to fer- '' tilise, and will not set fruit,.-unless grown alongside some erect staroened

varieties; this liub been an unknown source of annoyance to; sonic-would-be, growers of the American native'grape;, and is likely to give further trouble if a careful selection is not made, Ab with other classes of fruit, Mr Aid*,-, ton points out that-« 11. varietiesMjf grapes are not suiied to ono locality, where oue variety will prove prolific, and bear abundantly, another will remain sterile, and ultimately dwindle and die, therefore tests' roust be : mads iiu the vaiions districts to secure the moat suitable viue, for these reasons more ■■especially, the Government is urged to take in hand theirJtajibrtation Tho report is, asavyfffe, ifnot an exhaustive one, bristling, with the moat useful information. There are chapters on the /variouß modes of cultivation, diseases and remedies, wine making in all its stages,-, introducing vines from' America, inseot pests and-bow to "suppress them, etc.' It should be read by every person interested in horticulture. ' -:y 6kU Of .THE POEOTAWHAO BLOCK,;; . ';':? /.Tho result ofJJessrsT. K:-;Mao-dbnald and Co.'B calo of tmall farms in the Porotawhao block, which took place on Thursday afternoon, satisfactory, as proving the';maintenance of a healthy demand' for.-land along the route of the Welling'tcra aud .. Manawatu railway. The following are the detailed returns of tbe'sale:—■.

Total—lß eectiona, containme-1371 aftros, realizing on an average\£3l6a'pcracro £53119 6

No. Acres Buyer. ■ 1 70 J.W.Gower • '.. Pcracrefii. n. . 82a6d 288ISO 2 66r J.Waldegrave. ' .. . 80s Od 267 0 0 3 60j;J.Waldegravo ' .. .«0s0d242 0 0 J'55[;J.W.Kggfat«. ; ;.. 1 JOifOiyjp 0 0 6 64 I, Waldcgravo . o o } a Jj|}j.rv.Macdonald v. . 80a0d 518 0 © 8 t& Thornac Hughes '., , 8£a Od 36$ 0 0 ajj.A.Srmth. , . 70a Od .770 01 11 117 ConntJ.D'AbbftDa., .. 70a0a,40910 0 12 94 J. W. Gower .. 70s Oil 329 0 0 H 57J-- R. StevenB ■ .,77863,22117 0 16 92 H.-F; Davidson (as ,. ; ,,r (agent .. 7Sa0d:.34B 0 0 20 06 Ole Olacn ... , „ Wsfid.217 0 0 19a58})H. F.Davidson (a IB"'' V"" 20a 65 | (agent ... . .; 7«a Od 429 7 8