MARKET GARDENING

WHAT IS BEING DONE,

A subsequent article will describe fully the connection of the Chinese -with the market gardening around Otaki. It is the intention here to give a general 'indication of what is being done. Kach year sees,the establishment of additional gardens, and those commenced by the Europeans are on a more permanent scale'than those of the. Chinese.. They are not out-and-out vegetable gardens; as stated elsewhere, the Chinese hold practically a monopoly of that branch. A European goes.in more for raspberries and strawberries. He has his hothouses for grapes and cucumbers, and he relies to a large extent on profitable crops of tomatoes and potatoes. Of the latter, in a- favourable season, he can be assured of 14 tons to the acre, and such a result has been equalled by a Celestial.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that the Otaki climate is tropical, therefore it is particularly suited to tomatoes. There was nothing stunted about the tomato plants which a Post reporter saw only a short time ago, and such growth is probably unequalled anywhere. Otaki's summer season is just about a month ahead of that in Wellington or the Hutt Valley, and although as yet the city does not draw a great supply from Otaki, the possibilities can be easily understood. The plants are not encloeed in a hothouse—there is no need for thai in Otaki —and the fruit is of the fine, hardy, open-air variety. The climate in "Otaki is such that it can supply Auckland with tomatoes for at least a month before the fruit is available in the.Nor-

them province. Much of the trade has, in fact, gone north, where the markets are, apparently, more favoured. SMALL FRUIT. Otaki is also an ideal epofc for the growing of raspberries, though the fact has not yet been realised by many. Raspberries grow ■wonderfully well, and it is a wonder more land k., not utilised for them. But the people is Otaki have not

yet learnt fully the resources of their land and climate —the immense possibilities which are before the place as a supplier to the principal markets all the year round. Grapes of the Black Hamburg type have been known to grow in the. open air in sheltered spots, and the Gross Colmar variety has also been cultivated the same way. But, commercially, grapes are grown in hothouses with the best results. VEGETABLES. Very large areas are given over to the growing of vegetables of every class. Each year sees a greater area put out in vegetables, and it is plain that the dig; wict is developing in the direction in which it is destined to go. Both European and Chinese keep their gardens in beautiful condition, and while the land is kept judiciously manured, there is no prospect of its productivity suffering. Gardens are to be seen in every direction, and the supply of vegetables from this centre is enormous. . : OTAKI VERSUS HUTT VALLEY. Up to date, Wellington has depended to a large extent on the Hutt Valley for its vegetable supply, but Taita is so close to Wellington that it is gradually being cut up for residential sections. Gardeners have already been driven out of this portion, 60 the city must look elsewhere for its market supplies. In this direction a large trade has been built up with Nelson, but fruit and vegetables coming by steamer across Cook Strait are liable to more delay and greater handling than is th? case with snch products from Otaki. So,' it would seem, Otaki must become Wellington's principal kitchen garden. That it is'capable of supplying the whole of Wellington's wants should not be doubted in the least.