ISLAND ORANGES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 232, 2 October 1933, Page 4

ISLAND ORANGES.

IMPROVING THE CROP. ADMINISTRATION'S ACTIVITIES.

Up to the present time the bulk of the oranges imported into New Zealand from the Cook Group have been gathered from trees that have grown for many years in a more or less wild state on the lands of the native people, without cultivation, the wonderful fertility of the soil producing immense crops from these trees for over half a century. Some of the trees have attained an unbelievably immense size, with a girth to be measured not in inches but in feet,-and take their place with the indigenous forest trees. The efforts of the Administration have been for some years directed to the elimination of all "forest" citrus trees, the cutting down of old trees that have passed their usefulness, and their replacement with good stock trees in ordered plantations. Many acres of new trees have been laid down within tile past few years, but progress generally has been slow. A Forward Move. With better market prospects ahead, the Administration has recently made a very definite forward movement to place the Cook Islands orange trade- on a sound footing at the Isla'nds, and an Order-in-Council published in last week's Gazette indicates the steps that all growers in the Islands'are to be required to take to put their plantations in order. All old trees unsuitable for profitable bearing are to be cut down, and clumps of citrus trees are to be thinned out to ten feet space between the trees. All dead and diseased wood is to be cut out, and trees are to be "topped" to such a height as may be directed. It is estimated that there are no fewer than 40,000 unsuitable trees on the Island, and the work of cutting down has already been commenced. In order to avoid the incurring of costs by the individual growers, arrangements have been made for community saws, axes, and secateurs to be provided through the existing packing sheds, the cost of which will be found from a .levy on exports, and by team work it is anticipated that this task will be completed at' an early date. Belter Trees. Many thousands of young, quality trees of various types have been propagated by the Administration, and these are being readily requisitioned by growers, who are required under the terms of the regula- ' tions to cultivate all new areas in properly 1 ordered plantations. As already stated, many acres of new trees are already under cultivation, and it- is anticipated that it will be only a matter of years before the New Zealand supplies of oranges from the Cook Islands will be coming forward from > properly ordered plantation trees. A brief soil survey of Karotonga has recently, been undertaken, and it is in- 1 tended to go further with this as funds t will permit. The Administration has also i established a citrus area for the purpose of manurial experiments and the cultiva- f tion of those types of tree that will ] prolong the present orange season of the 1 Islands. ]