FRUIT PROSPECTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 263, 5 November 1932, Page 12

FRUIT PROSPECTS.

GOOD SEASON EXPECTED.

T.ABSS S' STKAVB

PEAS.-MH3GS LESS SEVZSE.

"Owing to the last; three aaya of srni-gn-'TTn. the acra.ivberries have come- oil

wunderfallv, 'with, tile result that ws had a. dotible supply an. tie aiarkec this amrmng," said, the manager of one o£ rn» produce marts to-day- " r 'i\ 1 i*ar; orw are than the supply ai acrawberriea this year will be siighfciy in excess of that a£ last year. Plantations in. Xorthcote n riff Mount EoskilL have beneiited greatly ay recent rains. ™~ Ee atidetL that lew plantations had just been opened ip in 2tew Lynn, Henderson and

Swasson. The manager said that the well known A£argnarice variety accounted for the biggest praporuon in the supply, wick zha Captain Cook variecj in fair qoan-

dcy. fie Helensifia. Surprise variety, which. ?»»■■* been aromineiiE on. the market tor years, had. now lose favour wink growers. and came on ta the market ia only small quantities. Discussing the improvement in riie condition for strawberry plants. he sa irt that the strawberry plant root disease, which, had. caused, mnrh mortality in recent years, had not been so marked, this year- No definite reason could, be given for it, except that cultural methods could, he modified by investigationIn the domain of stone fruits, the manager said, that the piums had. set well, and there were indications or an averagely heavy crop. Peaches and nectarines were somewhat snort,, compared. with Last year, except the Paragon variety, which, was well up ta the average. "Pear crops are slightly later than in previous years, and the trees are in j better condition, due to the fact that the oear-midae and the lire blight, which nave caused so much havoc in recent years, have lessened in their severity,"' the manager said. Quinces would be in short supply, since j many or the aider trees had died, out, but, owinfr to thtx increasing demand for quinces for the last two years, more planting of this fruit had. been done rhgTT in any other variety. "Apple crops are well up to the average,""'he said, "particularly in the early season varieties, such as Gravenstein and j Delicious. Uecent heavy plantings of Cox's Orange Pippin are now coming into bearing, and this variety should be more abundant this season."

Among the citrus fruits poorman oranges which, were at present in bloom, indicated an exceptionally heavy crop. With regard to lemons, although the hard winter frosts were exceptionally severe on this fruit, they were nevertheless Tnnkintr a good recovery, and should do well during the coming season. Hothouse tomatoes were coming on the market more freely. Although, they had been destroyed by* the frosts during the winter, indications were, nevetheiess, for a full supply from now on until Christmas. After Christmas their place would be taken by the outdoor grown traits, plantings of which, are somewhat in excess of previous seasons. In Hangere and Otahnim outdoor plants were well forward, and quite a, large amount of fruit would be available from December onward. English gooseberries were being offered on the market, and supplies were increasing daily from the Wairarapa and the Cambridge districts.