FRUIT-GROWING.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2176, 28 April 1908, Page 2

FRUIT-GROWING.

VISIT OF THE GOVERNMENT POMOLOGIST. Mr. W. A. Boucher, Government Pomologist for the North Island, is at present on a visit of orchard inspection in Gisborne, and will spend some days visiting the larger fruit gardens of the district. ' In a chat with a “Times” reporter yesterday, Mr. Boucher said that fruitgrowing was making fair headway in Poverty Bay, but it was not being developed as ah industry as it should be. 'The climato hero was very suitablo for apricot and peach growing, and apples, if properly cultivated, would grow well and develop a good flavor. Asked if it was not true that the spread of pests and tho difficulty of coping with them was not.one of tho chief disadvantages of fruitgrowing, Mr. Boucher said that tlie codlin moth past had been exceptionally bad throughout the North Island this season. The chief cause was that the moth bocame reproductive unusually early in tho season owing to a wot, cold winter being succeeded by a warm, dry, and settled summer causing dormant vegetable and insect life to respond with unusual early reproduction of species. “Is tho Agricultural Department doing anything to exterminate, the pest?” asked the pressman. “Yes,” said tho visitor. “For the purpose of understanding the nature of tlie codlin moth, I have a place for breeding thorn at Auckland. Towards tho end of last November, and during the first week in December, I secured apples,/ about as largo as walnuts, containing fully developed grubs, and by the end of the second week in December many had developed to the moth stage ready to reproduce their species. Under usual conditions this does not happen until five or six weeks later. It is possible to control moth infection by the use of the right spraying compound early and persistently throughout tho season. This fact has been demonstrated by growers, acting under advice from the Department, in almost every district of the North Island, • some of whom, as the result of careful work, have had no' more than one per cent and others even less of infection.” “There have, of course,” explained Mr. Boucher, “been a number of partial failures, due chiefly to not commencing spraying early enough, spraying at irregular intervals; or using too fine a spray, and so not covering the fruit. I have met with quite a number of instances of the last defect, and it is to be regretted that when spraying is done it is not done thoroughly, for discouraging results naturally lead to tho discouraging of other orchardists to try to cope with the nuisance.” “What spraying compound is used, or lias given the best results?” inquired the reporter. “Tho Department recommends the use of. arsenate of lead, either as sold in powder form under the name of ‘Dispariue,’ or Swift’s arsenate of lead, sold in a paste form. The latter has becomo very iiopular, and will probably be largely used next season. The formula recommended is 1 Jib of either compound to 50 gallons of the summer formula of the Bordeaux mixture if apple or pear scab be present, as well as moth, but to 50 gallons of water for moth alone. Spraying should be commenced as soon as tho fruit lias set, and should be repeated every 15 days, taking care the fruit is well covered. For peach diseases tho 10, 10, 40 Bordeaux mixture has proved effective if applied as soon as the leaves have fallen, say about- June, and again when the buds begin tg swell.” “Do you think tlie fruit industry could be developed in Gisborne, and how would you suggest placing it on a better totting?” “Tho best means I know of,” continued Mr. Boucher, “is the formation of a horticultural society, to embrace both those who grow fruit for commercial purposes, and those who grow for domestic use only. All who grow fruit trees'are equally responsible, under the Orchard and Garden Pests Act, for the control of orchard pests, and the advantage of members of a society meeting together occasionally, and exchanging experiences on t his and other subjects is obvious. In the neighborhood of Gisborne there is quite « large number of people who are interested in fruit production for one purpose or another, so that such a society should have a large membership, with power to do a vast amountof good in furthering fruit-growing and horticultural interests throughout the district.