THE AUCKLAND STRA WBERRY MARKET.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2791, 6 January 1888, Page 2

THE AUCKLAND STRA WBERRY MARKET.

. (New Zealand Herald). The cry of " Strawberries! lino ripo strawberries!" has now .been , echoing through our streets for some time past, and the fruit shops have. been making a tempting display of > ' \ this favorite berry, but probably the quantity consumed every dayin Au'ckland during the season, has not been ' w realised by the lovers of strawberries and cream By the courtesy of Mr B. Dawsou, we have been 1 supplied with some figures which will show , the '; : strawberry consuming capacity of the^t ; inhabitants of Auckland. There arejjp; in all, about 200 acres planted in v strawberries; the largest portion of this area being at Northcote. h> this district their are about eighty growers ' the average area being about two acres infeach farm. One of the. largest, belonging' to Mr Thompson, consists of about seven acres, Tbe Devonport district grows only a small quantity, f ; while oil this side there are ouly 'two or, three large growers. Mr W. Mason of Ponsonby, is one of the largest. He has 18 acres under crop, and for a long time past lias supplied 500 to 600 boxes daily. He employs about 40 boys to pick the fruit, and he lias a " tin-can band" to frighten away birds and other fruit stealers. The season, which began this year about >' the 15th October, is 1 fully five weeks ■ late, strawberries in former being often in the market in the begin-' • ning of September..., The. crop this.;. year has been a very large one. average being about -40 quarts Wi' acre per day; some farms have- given ' '*•' a larger average than this, and Borno less. The aperage weight of the quart of strawberries,is 240z." This gives us ,' 11,5001b5, or rather , over five tons of strawberries, which, together with ; several tons ofcreain and sugar makes a nice little plateful to be eaten by tlie Auckland public every day. Reckon- ■ ' ing the price of strawberries at 6d por quart, this industry has returned to v the growers. the very handsome dividend of L2OO per day as the gross receipts during the season. . Another ■ way to look at it is that during the season every acre under, strawberries - has given a gross return of £1 per day. Mr W. Thompson, of Northcote, in- . forms us that the industry is a most flourishing one. He says"l have been in the trade for 15 years. I have increased my area every year; and ' : every'year the .demand has been greater than the supply, I have just - received an order for 10 dozen boxes, • and •my " weekly output' averaged 1000 boxes. Ihave a family jP of eleven, arid we do all the work our- f : v selves. The. strawberries are usually sent to market by the 7.80 and 8.30 boats, but many growers send over •' twice a day. The freight is very reasonable, 200, quarts are allowed, free' every week to each grower, and Od per 100 quarts is charged for all quantities above , that. This allows' a small " beginner to market his fruit free of cost, and does not injure the large • growers. For any _ quantity which I • like to,send to the jam factories l ean get from 2d to 2|d per pound." .. Although not so popular' as strawberries, there are many otlier small frujts whioh bring in very acceptable dividends to the growers.