LOCAL FRUIT INDUSTRY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2719, 26 January 1910, Page 7

LOCAL FRUIT INDUSTRY.

ONLY A MODERATE SEASON

With the object of finding what the fruit season has been to orchardists this year, a “Times” representative had an interesting chat with a well-known nurseryman yesterday, in which it was learned that the season had been rather poor all round, particularly in stone fruit.

The main and practically only reason given to account for this was the unseasonable weather that liaa been experienced- in Poverty Bay for the last eight or nine months, right through, the winter and* summer, the winter being dry when a thorough soaking of the ground was required, and the spring, when the fruit was forming, being exceedingly wet, and so soaking the young fruit that when the hot sun came great quantities dropped to the ground, not having enough firmness to come to maturity. Peaches, in particular, liavo been a poor crop, although the prospects early in the season were extremely good, and aprico’ts have also been poor. The loss through the unseasonable weather has been further added to by the fact that mildew was very bad, and those who neglected to spray were in a bad way, having practically no prime fruit. Plumsj although not- falling off to such a great extent, were not up to the standard of last year, but in spite of this the supply to the local market- lias been well maintained.

Asked to specify what variety of plums had yielded best this season, the gentleman, although admitting a good knowledge, declined to particularise, stating that in this way a great deal of harm was done. “We have not had a season like this for 20 years,” he added, “and if I lvas to state a class that did well this season small growers would be led into planting that kind, whereas next year other varieties might be better.

Dealing with the anulo prospects a brighter outlook xvas shown, it being stated that a very fair crop xvas coming on, and xvhat- had been picked had also been good, although tho early varieties xvere not so heavy as the later promised to be. Another good feature with this fruit xx r as the fact that systematic spraying xvas now being indulged in, andJ on many orchards there xvas hardly a> trace to be found of the dreaded moth, one groxver, in fact, being quite surprised at the cleanness of the fruit. The crop of pears is also x’ory good, taking it right through. Where it has been poor the fact has been due mainly to want .of spraying, those xvho sprayed being little troubled either xvith black s]>ot or cracking. Of small fruits such as raspberries, currants, gooseberries, and strawberries, a very different story xvas told, growers of this kind of fruit had their yields very small, the season being practically a failure. One instance xvas given whore a <»roxver near Gisborne had quite txvo tons less this year than last, but this was an extreme case. The great quantity of! rain falling early in the season simply xvrouglit havoc amongst the bushes, and xvhat xvas not knocked off xvas spoilt by continual soaking. Regarding tlie export of locally grown fruit, it xvas ascertained that not a great amount had been sent out although early plums and apricots sent about Christmas time to Auckland and Wellington, had been sold for good prices, apricots especially selling xvell in Auckland, xvhere a keen demand qlxvays exists, oxving to the fact that the soii up North is not conducive to apricot groxving. There has also been a quantity of fruit imported, ; mainly peaches from the Frimley orchards, but although this sold well, the orchardist did not consider that it came up, in any xvay ; to the locally-grown fruit. Speaking to an auctioneer, xvho sells largely of fruit each season, tho reply given to a question as to the amount received this year, xvas that it greatly exceeded xvhat xvas sent in last year, and tho prices xvere very bad, plums selling at from 2s to 3s 6d the 241 b case, or a range of Id to 3d per lb. As to imported fruit a good amount had been received from Frimley, mainly peaches, and here again the auctioner did not consider them equal in quality to what xvas groxvn locally. Another line of imported fruit xvas armies, xyhich came from Nelson mostly, just about Christmas, and these sold at 17s 6cl the case. As a final xx-ord it xvas pointed out that what orchardists in this district should do as regards apples is to groxv something that- xvill keep, then good prices xvill be realised. “It’s no good,” said the auctioneer, “sending in fruit good' to-dav and bad! to-mor-roxv/’