H—29

The majority of the cherry-trees are grown in Central Otago and Canterbury, the respective areas being 125 and 50 acres. The total of stone-fruit trees at 31st March, 1949, was :

The total acreage in stone-fruits was:— Acres. ' Acres. Peach .. .. 2,474 Nectarine .. .. 283 Plum .. .. 1,297 Cherry .. ..221 Apricot .. . . 832 (1) The over-all increase in peach-trees during the year was 24,000, including 5,600 in Central Otago, 6,500 in Hawkes Bay, 5,100 in Auckland, 1,000 in Marlborough and 1,000 in Canterbury. The most favoured variety was Golden Queen. (2) There was a marked increase of 14,000 plum-trees over 1948, the principal plantings being 4,700 in Auckland, 3,600 in Hawkes Bay, 2,700 in Central Otago, and 1,500 in Nelson. (3) The Dominion total of apricot-trees increased by 7,500 trees, 7,200 being planted at Roxburgh and Alexandra and 1,500 in Hawkes Bay. In other districts there were slight decreases. (4) An increase of 4,000 nectarine-trees was recorded, of which 1,000 were planted in orchards near Alexandra. (5) There was little change in the cherry plantings. An area of 75 acres is being developed at Katikati by a producer who intends to grow peaches and plums for canning. The estimated production in thousands of bushels of other pip-fruits and all stonefruits for the 1948-49 season at 31st March, 1949, was

Apart from apricots, which show an increase of 33,000 bushels, mainly because of better seasonal conditions in Central Otago, the 1948-49 production figures are about the same as those for 1947-48.

99

— In Orchards Over 120 Trees. In Orchards Under 120 Trees. Total. Trees. Trees. Trees. Peach 286,686 10,275 296,961 Nectarine 30,689 3,324 34,013 Apricot 95,828 4,013 99,841 Plum 141,916 13,773 155,689 Cherry 25,599 I 986 26,585

— (1) Peaches. (2) Plums. (3) Apricots. (4) Nectarines. (5) Cherries. Quinces. Auckland Gisborne .. Hawkes Bay Manawatu and Wanganui Wairarapa Nelson Marlborough Canterbury and North Otago Central Otago 39 6 250 1 55 4 7 87 45 6 43 1 *8 1 6 23 1 8 118' 1 1 • 20 i 1 2 18 1 1 1 8 9 1 9 9 1 Totals 449 133 129 44 13 29