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The major districts for pumpkin-production with 100 acres or more are Acres. Auckland .. .. .. .. .. 433 Hawkes Bay .. .. .. .. .. 300 Gisborne .. .. .. .. .. 120 The major districts for the production of indoor tomatoes with 25 acres or more are Acre*. Auckland .. .. .. .. 157 Hawkes Bay .. .. .. .. 57 Christchurch .. .. .. .. 42 Timaru .. .. .. .. 35 Wellington .. .. .. .. 32 The major districts for the production of outdoer tomatoes with 100 acres or more aie ' Acres. Hawkes Bay .. .. .. .. .. 380 Auckland .. .. .. .. .. 360 Christchurch .. .. .. .. .. 200 Pukekohe .. .. .. .. .. 130 Vegetables are delivered to the various produce markets in the main centres and -supplies are also delivered on contract to cannery firms at Auckland, Hastings, and Nelson ; 8,786 tons of canned vegetables and 260,500 gallons of tomato-juice and tomato soup were canned in 1948, according to figures published by the Government Statistician. The very heavy production of tomatoes in Nelson during 1948 has been followed by a reduction of 50 acres in this season's acreage of tomatoes. Because of the facilities offered by the dehydration plant at Motueka, there has been an increased area devoted to pea-growing. The extension of city housing continues to reduce the area available for commercial vegetable-production in the vicinity of Auckland. In October, 1948, the Government removed the ceiling prices on the prices of vegetables. A survey of glasshouses around Christchurch shows that there are 1,020 glasshouses, with an area of 1,511,300 square feet; 60 per cent, of the houses and 90 per cent, of the space are used for tomato-growing. The Extension and Horticulture Divisions undertook economic surveys on the production of tomatoes at Auckland, Pukekohe, Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, and Nelson, and on the production of onions at Pukekohe, Palmerston North, and Marshland. The Division is also associated with the Marketing Department in the supplying of dehydration plants at Motueka for apples and at Biccarton and Pukekohe for vegetables. The principal canning and jam-making firms have factories in Auckland, Wairoa, Hastings, Nelson, Dunedin, and Roxburgh. Vegetable Diseases.—The green-vegetable bug has spread throughout North Auckland and has become a serious pest in vegetable gardens. Its biological control is being attempted by the liberation of parasites. Experiments were concluded in Hawkes Bay in 1948 on the control of red-legged earth-mite. This pest can' be controlled with good cultural practices and by the use of D.D.T. sprays and dusts. At Pukekohe the potato-tuber moth, diamond-backed moth, white butterfly, and carrot-rust fly are serious problems for vegetable-growers. Virus diseases, particularly spotted wilt and cucumber mosaic, have been severe on vegetable crops in Christchurch.

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