The Fruit-Growing Industry.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 504, 17 January 1906, Page 5

The Fruit-Growing Industry.

In the course of an interview with the Otago Daily Times' representative, Mr A Moritzson, of the firm of Moritzson and Co., Dunedin, supplied that journal with an interesting account of his personal observations gathered during a recent visit through Central Otago. We cull the following remarks from the interview:— Mr A. Moritzson stated that he had just returned from a tour through the ; fruit-growing region in Otago, having visited every orchard from Millers Flat to Ooal Greek, and from Alexandra through Earascleugh Flat onwards as far as Clyde, Mr Moritzson found all the orchards, without exception, in a very high state of cultivation. Thanks to the many visits of Mr Blackmore, the Government Pomologist, fruitgrowers generally appear to have realised the advantage and profit to be derived from systematic cultivation and spraying as a safeguard against the ravages of insect pests. As a natural consequence, fruit trees in the districts visited by Mr Moritzson were found to be clean and healthy, carrying in most orchards exceptionally heaVy props of choice fruit. There was no sign of blight, fungus, or leaf-curl, and with one or two small exceptions the crop as a whole promises to be fully equal, if not superior, to that of last season. The exceptions referred to apply to several small orchards in the Roxburgh district, where the small birds played havoc with the fruit buds and blossom before the fruit had set. So complete was their destruction that on a large number of trees there was absolutely no sign of fruit whatever, a result solely due to feathered pests, of which the sparrow was perhaps the worst offender. The orchards in Alexandra and Clyde districts looked at thoir best, and as many of them were erstwhile barren wastes their present profusion is conclusive evidence ol what can be produced by irrigation in the districts referred to. So engrossed did Mr Moritzson become whilst on this theme that his genial face fairly glowed with enthusiasm. "Mr Sheehy's orchard in the Clyde Gorge was a really magnificent sight," said Mr Moritzson. " Others worthy of more than passing notice were those of Messrs R. Dawson, William Noble, James Bodkin, Ah Wye, and Lye Bow, and unless one has actually seen these fine orchards it is difficult to realise what haid work, enterprise, and water can accomplish. Now, a good deal had been heard of late concerning the fruit-canning industry, and, if you will permit me, I would like to refer specially to this" important industry. In my opinion," continued Mr Moritzson, " it is of vital importance to the district, and especially to growers. Instead of glutting the market or allowing the. fruit to go to waste, it is now sent to the canning factory, and although last season's operations were not altogether a financial success from a dividend point of view, the factory amply justified its existence. The reason for the loss was duo to the fact that the amount of fruit sent to the factory by growers was too small for the capacity of the works, and the output was too small to cover the initial cost of the factory. I think it was a bad policy to charge all expenses against the first year's trans* actions; the cost of starting the industry should have been, in my opinion, spread over a period, say, of five years in equal proportions;. But although the factory not earn direct dividends as anticipated, growers benefited indirectly, inasmuch as it helped to raise the market value of fruit in the city markets. The directors realise that it is in the best interests of the growers, and have decided to continue operations, and an effort will be made to largely increase the output and thereby reduce working expenses pro* portionately, and this will naturally enhance the value of the remainder of the crop. I think it would be suicidal if fruitgrowers allowed the canning works to close down owing to lack of raw materia], therefore it behoves every grower in the district to support the factory first and market the remainder. Our firm are agents for the factory products, and, with the exception of a few cases of apricots, the whole of last season's output has been disposed of. There is a constant and growing demand for canned; pears, and pie fruits, 'but factory has not been able to cope with the demand." > ~- f:

I trust that the Central Obago League will continue to agitate until the Central Otago railway reaches Hawea Fut. There they have a mag« niScent back country, which will grow -**! was going to my anything "from a needle to an anchor." But look at the difficulties in the way of tranepor* tation at the present time, 1 have seen three and four years' successive crops standing in the stacks owing to excessive cost of carriage to a market. It costs one shilling per bushel to cart grain to Omakau and fourpence per bushel railage thence to, Dunadiu, so you will see that growers have Very little encouragement for their toil,