FRUIT CULTURE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2580, 14 August 1909, Page 3

FRUIT CULTURE.

PROGRESS IN THE DOMINION

OPERATIONS AT FRIMLEY

Mr E. Basil-Jones, general manager of the Frimley Canning Company’s works in Hawke’s Bay, who lias been spending' a short holiday in Christchurch/gave a “Lyttelton Times” reporter some instructive figures in the course of a chat on the progress that is being made in fruit culture in the north.

“Fruit-growing in Hawke’s Bay generally,’-’ said Mr Basil-Jones, “has made strides that can be described a little short cf marvellous. Six years ago, when I went to Hawke’s Bay, there were about 500 acres of the country in fruit trees, 230 of which was at Frimley. To-day round Hastings there are over 2000 acres in trees, principally peaches and apples. The producing capacity of tho land is wonderful, too. Four years ago I planted a new orchard at tho back of "the factory, putting trees in about fifty acres, and last season the trees gave their first full yield, which totalled about 500 tons. But that was a remarkable season, for we had tons- upon tons of peaches which were ripening too quickly for them- to be railed, and they were wasted. People had fruit at prices which they never had before.”

Mr Basil-Jones considers that there is a great future for the fruit industry in the dominion and he says that though the Frimley Company works on the largest scale, it is always unable to cope with the demand. The present is the" slack season, when practically the only operation is jam-making. AH the fruit that is not up to the quality demanded for canning is made into pulp, and that is made into jam during tho winter. The busy season outside is from December to June, and then about eighty men are employed in picking and spraying while by January there are 250 hands busy in the factory. The company lias lately taken to packing peas, and last season 75,000 21b tins were turned out. while orders were received for 1500 extra eases, which could not he supplied. Most of tho products sold in Canterbury are half and one gallon tins of pie fruits. There is, Mr Basil-Jones says, a gradual demand growing between Christchurch and Dunedin "for fresh fruits, and ho has hopes of keeping the American product out of the dominion some day. A tariff of 25 per' cent on tinned fruits was recently raised to 37)- per cent., with the result that the best class ot American fruit is not now obtainable, and that is the chance for tho local product to find a market. Tlio . climate at Frimlev is described by Mr Basil-Jones as being admirably suited for fruit-growing. There have been) several frosts of late, but ho is glad to see them now, as if they came later on they would kill the fruit buds and half the crop might he lost. At tho Frimley orchard the head man lias a tell-tale in his room, and as soon as a certain degree of frost is registered the bell rings and he rouses the men, who light huge fires of straw anti tar, which make a dense smoke. This covers the trees and the frost is kept out. The operation is called “smudging,” dfnd many valuable crops have been saved bv it.

Since the canning industry began in Hawke’s Bay operations have been extended wonderfully. There are now 390 acres under cultivation at Frimlev, most of this area being planted with peaches and pears. There are 230 acres containing 60 miles of peach trees, while another "80 acres have 30 miles each of peaches and pears. The main orchard is a mile long. Mr Basil Jones says that the company has installed the most up-to-date machinery. Before a peach has been two hours picked it is safely sealed in a can. The cans are made by a new machine, which swallows strips of tin at one end and turns out finished cans at the other. The factory covers two acres and has been frequently remodelled., There.is a new pea-shelling machine, which turns cut 2} tons of peas in a day and saves the labor of oyer two hundred women, All the • employees are dressed in Uniforms provided bv the company, and every precaution is taken to keep the’place clean. The company has interested itself very closely in the welfare of its employees. .Every man has to join a provident fund when he is employed,by the company, and this secures him free medicine and services of a medical man.

Questioned as to the probability of an export trade growing up for the industry, Mr Basil-Jonhs said that tho general outlook was much better than it had been, but the cost of buying made such a trade prohibitum. Growers were planting more, but more was being consumed in the dominion, and until" cheaper fruit was brought within the reach of all there was little likelihood of cxpol-t being talked of. The customers In the dominion showed that there was a large and growing market. Even for peas they had to make great efforts to cope with the demand. In. tho first year they had put down 200 cases in fear and trembling, but last year 3200 eases had proved,to he 2000 fewer than were ordered. At Christmas the peas are ready to pick, and all the children of the district spend their holidays at the work. The company has now so large a business that it has ,to .buy from the growers around, so that the canning industry makes growing profitable •'for the. wfiole district. :