H—29

The Meyer-lemon-tree figures show an increase of 1,500 trees over the past year, mainly accounted for by increases of 500 in each of the Auckland and Tauranga districts. There has been an increase of 2,500 New Zealand grapefruit-trees in the Auckland district. Other citrus figures have remained stationary. Hard-wax scale has spread all over Auckland Province and attacks citrus trees as well as an exceedingly wide range of evergreen trees and plants. The incidence of soft-wax scale is becoming an increasing problem to citrus orchardists at Kerikeri. Citrus borer is a great problem in Kerikeri, Auckland, and Tauranga. In the early spring of 1948 citrus brown-rot was responsible for severe fruit losses in Auckland. At Kerikeri the application of D.D.T. spray has lessened the damage to fruit caused by dicky rice weevil. Citrus canker still remains the most serious of all diseases attacking citrus trees. At Otumoetai, Tauranga, two orchards have been found reinfected with citrus canker and two new infections were found outside this locality. The estimated production of citrus fruits in 1948 in packed bushels is :

Facilities : The Division is associated with the Marketing Department at the various citrus assembly depots. Lemons are received at the citrus depots at Kerikeri, Auckland, and Tauranga, and by a private firm on behalf of the Marketing Department at Gisborne. A new citrus depot was opened at Tauranga during the year to replace one destroyed by fire. Berry or small fruits consist of strawberries, raspberries, loganberries, gooseberries, boysenberries, currants, and cape gooseberries. The only major district for strawberry-production at 31st March, 1949, was : Acres. Auckland and Hamilton .. .. .. .. 233 Minor districts with over 20 acres but under 100 include — Acres. Canterbury .. .. .. .. .. 54 Otago .. .. .. .. .. 29 Major districts for raspberry-production with more than 50 acres at 31st March, 1949, are Acres> Canterbury .. .. .. .. .. 297 Nelson .. .. .. .. .. .. 174 Hawkes Bay .. .. .. .. .. 115 Wairarapa .. .. .. .. 70 There were also 40 acres in raspberries in Otago. The major district for gooseberry-production with over 50 acres at 31st March, '1949, is AcresWairarapa .. .. .. .. .. 63£

101

— Meyer Lemons. Other Lemons. Sweet Orange. | New Zealand | Grapefruit. Other Grapefruit. Kerikeri 6,000 10,000 13,000 11,000 1,600 Auckland 1,300 40,000 1,200 70,000 800 "Tauranga .. .. 1,600 90,000 2,800 44,000 300 Gtisborne 400 4,600 3,000 400 200 Hawkes Bay 300 900 200 800 100 Totals 9,600 145,500 20,200 126,200 3,000