FRUIT HARVEST.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 15, 19 January 1939, Page 14

FRUIT HARVEST.

LIGHT PEAR CROP. PROSPECTS FOR AUCKLAND. APPLE ORCHARDS PATCHT. Present indications point to thie season's apple and pear crop- being generally light to moderate in the Auckland district, according to Mr. A. T. Douglas, senior orchard instructor. Some very good crops of Gravenstein, (iranny Smith, (iolden Delicious and Statesmen apples are showing, but most of the other varieties are very patchy. On the whole very light crops of pears are showing. When the recognised spray programme has been regularly applied the crops appear to be very -free from disease. Some varieties are showing a considerable amount of russet, which may prove a very serious factor and may materially reduce the export quantities when they come to be graded. The early varieties are maturing up to time, but in some instances the fruit is noticeably on the small csida and growers would be well advisea at this stage to go over their trees and systematically thin the crop. Special attention to this phase of work will handsomely repay the grower as the crop will be much more easily handled if reject fruit is eliminated, eaid Mr. Douglas. Spraying for inser-t pests and disease control should not be neglected at this period, an application of arsenate of lead at a strength of nil* to 100 gallons for codlin moth and leaf roller caterpillar, in conjunction with Bordeaux mixture for the control of glainorellu, a disease which wan the cause of considerable financial !•».•■« to growers during the 1938 season. Plans for Export. Fruitgrowers who have booked early varieties for export, lie added, sdiould now be paying special attention to the cleaning up of packing sheds, grading machines and other equipment used in the handling- of the export crop. Care should be taken to sec that only clean cases are used for packing and, if second-hand cases are used, they siiould b« thoroughly cleaned and sterilised, for the neglect of this is one. of the main causes of export fruit developing fungal rots after shipment. The receipt of export fruit will commence, on Monday, January 23, when a start will be made with the Gravenstein variety. This fruit will be assembled at the local cool store and then forwarded on to Wellington to connect with the Waipawa, which sails on February 4. It is anticipated that there will "be approximately 1000 to 1200 cases go forward for this boat. Assistance to Growers. Mr. Douglas stated that he hoped to be able to visit packing sheds throughout the district during the season for the purpose of giving instruction in packing and grading fruit, both for export and local markets, and he advised those growers who were not fully conversant with the standard required to immediately get into touch with an officer,of the division, who would be only too willing to give all the advice and assistance required. Lecturer would also he given to fruitgrowers' associations throughout the district regarding export and local market regulations, packing, etc. The present regulation* governing fruit for the local market have now been in force for about JO months, and Mr. Douglas says that an improvement in both standard and packing of new season's fruit coming forward is noticeable. However, quite a few growers are still committing breaches of the regulations. They are advised to make themselves fully conversant with the requirements set out in the regulations, as otherwise the Department will be compelled to take drastic- action.