WEEK TOO SOON.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 24, 30 January 1939, Page 8

WEEK TOO SOON.

STONE FRUIT CROP. BROWN ROT DANGER. Orchardists in the Henderson district feel that the rain has come about a week too soon, as the stone fruit crop was almost ready for picking. Brown rot hart been the bane of the fruitgrowers' life for years past, and when peaches and nectarines are near maturity it develops rapidly after rain, so much so that the harvest on a tree may be lost overnight. Last year rain came at an inopportune time for the peaches, and losses were heavy. Nectarines have been so susceptible to the disease that some orchardists have given up trying to grow them for the market. One Henderson orchardist said this morning that during the week-end he pieked 120 cases of peaehes in order to got them in before the weather broke. He> added that he would not know for a dav or two how the rest of the crop hrid fared. Fortunately there bad been little wind with the rain, and the trees had not been knocked about. Strawberries had practically finished, but the apple crop would soon be ready, two of the main crops being the Gravenstein and Cox* , Orange varieties. The main crop of cooking apples was etil two months away. Parched Market Gardens. For weeks past market gardens have had a parched appearance and a number of vegetables, particularly pumpkins and tomatoes, have been backward. Tomatoes are now grown on a big scale in districts adjacent to Auckland, and although rain was needed to fill out the later crops, there is now a danger, unless they are ready to pick almost immediately, that some of the fungoid diseases which attack the plant may make their appearance. Last year rain caused considerable loss to tomato growers, the fruit rapidly turning black In parts after heavy rain. Dairy Fanners Pleaeed. Aβ rain means the growth of muck succulent grass, without any of the troubles which beset orchardists and gardeners, dairy farmers have everv reason to be pleased. Rain has fallen over a wide area, and the fall has been siinViunt to refresh the pastures. In some of the districts, since Christmas ensilage has had to be u.ed. and there have been complaints of empty tanks, and shortage of water for homehold supplies. It is felt that any danger of feed shortage before the winter has been removed.